Ashes
by Kallypso
Summary: I'm not supposed to be here. This world isn't mine but I'm still stuck. And I have a voice in my head and an old scar that refuses to let me forget to boot. Lovely. All I know is I need to get out of here before I snap. Sequal to Lightning Strike! R&R!
1. Prologue

**_I took a few days and a weekend to organize all my thoughts, hope you guys don't mind. And now I'm back!_**

**_Liz: HOORAY!_**

**_Envy: You're oddly cheerful today..._**

**_Liz: (evil glare) I'm always cheerful!!!_**

**_Ed: Uh..._**

**_Al: Right..._**

**_Envy: No you're not._**

**_Liz: PALMTREE!_**

**_Envy: PIPSQUEAK!_**

**_Al: sigh... they're at it again..._**

**_Ed: Yeah..._**

**_Ok so this is a relativly short introduction just to give you guys a preview. Just a prologue. Chapter one will follow shortly after... if we get reviews of course._**

**_Winry: There she goes, bribing again._**

**_Ed: Like always..._**

**_Yep! Also a few notes, there are going to be a few differences from the movie in this one, mostly involving Envy and the ending... both will be different. I'm taking alot of creative liberties here for the convenience of the story._**

**_Al: No disrespect to the origional owners or anything..._**

**_Also this story is going to be shorter. Probably only about 15 to 16 chapters. It's more of a bridge story between book one and three._**

**_Ed: And book three will go off in an entirely new direction..._**

**_Winry: Completely origional story line._**

**_Al: Luckily the authoress knows what she's going to do so their won't be too many periods of writers block... procrastination? Possibly. But not writers block._**

**_Yep!_**

**_Envy: LITTLE GIRL!_**

**_Liz: CROSS DRESSER!_**

**_Al: (blinks) are they really still going._**

**_Yeah... Winry!_**

**_Winry: Right! (Pulls out wrench) QUIET!_**

**_Liz: Ah! The wrench of doom!_**

**_Envy: I'm out of here!_**

**_Liz: Right behind you!_**

**_Winry: COME BACK HERE!_**

**_Ed:...gearhead..._**

**_Al: She has her psycho moments._**

**_MWAHAHAHA! REVIEW!_**

I never realized how much I really did have until I came here...

I always thought that the murder of my family, me sinking so low into revenge, almost killing myself several times... I believed that was a tragedy, a low point in my life. Everytime I remembered it... it left a bad taste in my mouth.

I didn't realize the insight I gained through the ordeal, and the heart. I didn't realize how much it made me human.

I mean let's face it. I'm not exactly a model picture of level thinking or rational decisions. I can go pretty psycho sometimes.

Throughout my journey in the beggining with Ed and Al, I cursed having to help others with their goals, not being able to choose my own path or go my own way. I had to be stuck with others, helping _them_.

But from that I gained two of the closest friends I'd ever had.

Then when things got really twisted and the homunculi and Dante stepped into the picture. Through the lies, the plots, the fights, the anger I had started hateing the complexity of my life. I wished for things to be normal, for our journey to end.

And now I'm stuck in another dimension on the other side of the gate... and life is too simple. I miss my old life, because with that complexity came so much else. Now I've lost everyone I once knew... I've lost Ed, Al... and I even miss Envy.

The sad thing was, I genuinly did begin to understand him... just before I had thrown myself infront of Ed and forced Envy to stab me instead.

There isn't a day that goes by when I don't feel guilty for that.

Equivalency is true.

The gate told me that.

He told me it just isn't always apparent at first.

But I wish it was.

If I knew what I had gained immediately I would appreciated it more. I would of savored it. I would've never complained so much. I would've _loved _my life. It sucks not knowing how much you have until it's too late.

Then again... I guess that's life...

It's everyones life.

It's _my _life.

Or it was at least.

And you know what? I want it back. And some way or another... I'll get my way.

I just have to wait...

* * *

_**I know it's short, but I'll post the next chapter real soon I promise!**_

**_Envy: Don't trust her!_**

**_Liz: She's evil incarnate!_**

**_(Sickly sweet smile) Please hold one moment. (Rage) GO AWAY! DON'T MAKE ME CALL WINRY AGAIN!_**

**_Both: Ok, ok! Sheesh!_**

**_Ed: She's completely insane._**

**_Al: Definetly_**

**_Oh hi Izumi! Go kill your students for me please!_**

**_Brothers: Oh crap!_**

**_Izumi: You foolish pupils, angering the authoress! My wrath shall fall upon thee!_**

**_Wrath: I'm still adorable!_**

**_Envy: I suddenly think that we are lucky..._**

**_Liz: Yeah..._**

**_Wrath: BIG SISTER!_**

**_Liz:... Uh..._**

**_Envy: ...we need to have a talk kid._**

**_(Izumi kills Ed and Al)_**

**_Ed: X.X_**

**_Al: X.X_**

**_Envy:..._**

**_Liz:..._**

**_Wrath: The silence is getting awkward._**

**_Well now that's done... REVIEW!_**


	2. Chapter 1:The Life of a pretend Amnesiac

**_Okeydokey! Next chapter! A little filler/ introduction for this one!_**

**_Liz: Just with me really, no Envy or Ed yet._**

**_Al: And I'm not even in this story till the end..._**

**_Liz: It's ok Al. Everyone still thinks you're adorable._**

**_Wrath: Like me!_**

**_Envy: Kid, you aren't in this story at all..._**

**_Wrath: The authoress wanted to please everyone by putting me in the authors notes_**

**_I thought we could use a dose of cuteness because as we all know, Ed's too temperamental, We needed a supplement for Al, Liz is a psycho and you Envy, certinly don't cut it._**

**_Envy: I'll take that as a compliment_**

**_Interpret how you will..._**

**_Liz: REVIEW!_**

Sunlight streamed through my window, uncomfortably urging me to wake up. With a groan I rolled over and burried my head in my pillow. I didn't want to get up. I would much prefer to unproductivly waste the day away.

_"Rise in shine little human!"_

"Don't call me little" I mumbled into my pillow.

_"It's not refering to your height. Merely your insignificance."_

"Well if I'm so insignificant then get out of my head!" I snapped. "God, you're annoying!"

Oh you didn't know? Apparently Old Mr. Truth decided that not only did he want to stalk my dreams or throw me across dimensions but he also wanted to hang out in my mind, providing less then welcome commentary on my actions and fortune cookie worthy, pieces of advice. I had finally decided to just make him a he even though he explained that he technically didn't have a gender as he wasn't a human but rather a state of mind.

Well I wanted that state of mind out of my head!

"Remind me again why you take the time to hang around in my head" I muttered, rubbing my eyes as I sat up against the head board.

_"I have nothing better to do of course!" _Truth giggled all creepy like. He did that alot.

"Of all people you could stalk why me?" I asked moodily.

_"I told you, you're interesting" _Truth answered impatiently. _"Also, as I am Truth, you should know that I can multi task. I'm doing plenty of other productive things right now. This whole endevour is really just a-"_

"A hobby?" I asked dryly.

_"Exactly!"_

"Fan. Bloody. Tastic."

"Liz? Are you up?" the sound of Gracia reached my room from the stair well. "Come one down! I made breakfast."

"Coming!" I called before sighing and swinging my legs off the side of the bed and muttering to myself "At this un godly hour? Ugh..."

_"It's already ten o clock" _Truth stated very matter of factly.

See this is the problem with muttering to myself. It's almost never to myself anymore because Truth comments on everything that is muttered. He's incredibly annoying like that.

Hurriedly I dressed and pulled on my black jacket. Over on the desk sat my sentimental possesions, my little connection to my old life. My old, state issued pocket watch that used to represent my certification as a state alchemist and my choice wepons, the two knives with transmutation circles carved on the hilt. Not that they could do alchemy any more... alchemy was impossible in this world as Truth had explained to me. They were more like a decorative, nostalgic sentament.

I picked up my pocket watch and rubbed my thumb thoughtfully over the shiny surface of the lion, smiling sadly before stuffing it in my pocket. Then tied my two knives to my belt and let my jacket fall in front of them, obscuring them from view before I headed down the stairs.

Gracia smiled as I came into the room and sat down in the chair "How are you doing?"

"Dandy" I held my thumbs up, my voice less than enthusiastic. "A little tired is all."

"Understandably" she slid a bowl of colorless poridge in fron of me. It was all anyone could really afford these days for breakfast, if they were lucky. "You haven't been sleeping too much lately have you?"

I shrugged "Yeah... I don't sleep too well at night any more."

The sad understanding smile that flitted across her face was one I saw alot. As far as everyone else knew I was an amnesiac, and I had no memory of my existence. If I told them I was from another dimension, they'd put me in a padded cell and never let me out again.

"Well" she turned back away from me and proceeded to clean the counters "If you don't mind helping me tidy up the place a little bit before you head out for the day I'd be much obliged. This place is getting a little dusty."

"Aren't I obligated to help you" I pointed out. "For letting me stay here all this time, free of charge."

"You've well earned your stay here Liz." she assured me with a smile. "But I do appreciate your help."

"No problem" I stood. "I could use something to do with my hands."

_"Anything" _I added to myself. _"To keep my mind off of my old life."_

It was a little past noon when I headed out for the day. The streets were bustling with the usual afternoon crowd, all talking and chattering too eachother. Children ran around playing with their makeshift toys, their squeals of delight echoing through the streets. Times were hard but people still managed to keep positive, be happy, and live. It was fun just to watch this life go on around me and at the same time, completly depressing.

"Good morning Liz" Hughes called with his usual friendly smile and a wave. "Nice to see you out and about today."

"Morning officer Hughes" I trotted over to the man, grinning.

If there was one thing good about this world, it was that I had Hughes back. He was still friendly as ever, a nice man, not quite haveing the courage to hook up with Gracia yet but he was working on it. I had missed Hughes before. Of all the people I knew who died he was one of the most tragic deaths.

"How's traffic today?" I asked lightly.

"Let's see... No riots or brawls" he mused. "No thieves... no crazed people with guns... over all pretty good I'd say" I grinned. "And how are you doing on this fine afternoon. Nothing has jogged your memories yet?"

"Nope" I shook my head. "Still have that stupid amnesia."

"Ah, well. We're glad to have you in this fine city as long as you'd like to stay" he grinned and patted me on the back. "So uh... how's Gracia doing?"

"Single" I said slyly. "Jump on the chance Hughes! It won't last forever."

"Hmph" he frowned at me a slight blush coming over his face. "You should respect your superiors a litte more Liz. I'm not insinuating anything! I'm just conserned with her well being as a woman running a buisness because she's a close friend."

"Uh huh." I smirked. "_Very _close."

"You're impossible" he sighed and just continued to grin.

Suddenly a cry went out "He took my purse! Someone stop him!"

We both turned to see a man with a crazy desperate look in his eye, sprinting twoards us, a purse under his arm. At the sight of Hughes he skidded to a stop and, pulling out a gun, he grabbed the first person he could reach.

This person just happened to be me.

You realize nothings changed don't you?

With a arm wrapped around my waist and a gun held against mmy temple the man whispered gruffly in my ear "Stay nice and still sweetheart..."

Ugh... nicknames... I hate nicknames.

"Don't come any closer" the desperate man warned Hughes. "Or I'll shoot the little girl!"

...Twitch

Hughes grinned and shook his head "You picked the wrong person to take hostage."

I flashed a smirk and drove my boot on top of his before twisting out of his grasp. With a yell he raised the gun to point at me but I siezed the hilt of one of my knives and swung the blade upward, knocking the gun from his hand. Quickly I shot around him, grabbing his right wrist tightly and twisting it forcefully behind his back before slamming him up against the wall, pinning him against the stone.

"Don't call me little." I growled.

Our audience in the square clapped at the display, a gesture that made me want to roll my eyes.

"You never fail to dissapoint Liz" Hughes smiled as he hand cuffed the man. "I have to take this deliquent in. I'll see you later."

"Right" I grinned and sheathed my knife. "See ya later."

A short pain went through my abdomen and my hand reached automatically to my scar as I winsed. Too much exertion... It wasn't a good idea to over exert myself these days or I was at risk of setting off an attack.

With a sigh I kicked a stone on the pavement and stared at the ground.

"Thank you" I looked up to see the young woman who had her purse stolen smiling appreciativly at me. She had long, straight, golden blonde hair and blue eyes like so many Germans did. She reminded me a little of Winry, but she wasn't... I had yet to meet Winry's identical. The woman continued, bowing her head slightly in graditude "I wasn't sure what I'd do without the money in here."

I smiled "No problem."

Just another life in the day of a pretend amnesiac. Nothing out of the ordinary.

...But I wished there was.

* * *

_**Hope you liked this short chapter of filler!**_

**_Liz: Yeah filler!_**

**_Ed: I'll come in soon, promise!_**

**_Envy: REVIEW!_**


	3. Chapter 2: Nostalgic Wishes

_**Ok so enjoy folks!**_

**_Liz: This chapter is slightly fillerish twoards the beggining but grows in importance twoards the end._**

**_Envy: Which means a probable cliff hanger._**

**_Ed: Basically._**

**_Ok, enough said._**

**_Al: REVIEW!_**

_"I don't quite understand how you humans find walking around the same place day after day so entertaining." _Truth commented some while later in my walk.

_"Oh lovely, and my head was being so quiet too." _I thought back. I was careful not to talk out loud in public to the voice. I did at one point and let's just say I got alot of are-you-crazy stares. Fifteen to be exact.

_"It's not the places that change it's all the people" _I continued. _"I don't expect you to understand our little human habits... of course if you're so bored, feel free to leave my mind and go on with your merry truthly duties."_

_"Nice try little human. I'm not that bored."_

_"Damn, I'll just have to try harder then..."_

_"Good luck with that."_

"Liz! Liz!" I was suddenly bombarded from behind as a little boy lept onto my back sending me stumbling forward but luckily not knocking me down. "You're out today!"

"Hey Jeffery" I smiled and hoisted the boy further up so that he could perch on my shoulders. "Where's your father huh?"

"With sis!" I beamed as he used by hair to steady himself. "He'll be by soon!"

Jeffery was a little boy with charcoal colored hair and big, trusting blue eyes. He was small, only eight years old, three years older than his sister Nina.

It turned out that Nina's double lived here, along with her mother and Tucker. This world's Tucker was different from the other one though. He wasn't a scientist but rather and architect. It was a big difference in my opinion. Because of this I couldn't bring myself to hate him. He just looked like the man I had known after all. He cared about his family more than his work. It was odd but nice...

"Liz!" I heard a girls voice squeal in delight though it sounded more like 'Lis' since Nina couldn't quite pronounce her Z's yet.

I turned around to see the little girl running twoards me, green eyes wide with delight, brown braids bouncing behind her. I let Jeffery drop off my back as I bent down to say hello "Hey there Nina, how are you today? I swear you get bigger every time I see you." I patted her head and she beamed proudly.

"I'm good! How bout you Liz!"

"Just fine" I grinned and straightened.

"Good afternoon Elizabeth." I saw Tucker coming twoards me, smiling.

"How many times do I have to say it" I sighed shaking my head. "Just call me Liz."

"Right" he gave a sheepish grin. "Sorry it's a bad habit."

"Nah it's fine" I rubbed my hand through my hair. "Where's Lila today?"

"My wife is shopping" he leaned in and whispered beind his hand. "Jeffery's birthday is soon, and we've been saving to get him something."

I grinned "That's good."

"Hey no secrets!" Jeffery tugged on the sleeve of my jacket. "No fun! What are you talking about."

"Boring adult stuff" I grinned and knelt down in front of him. "I hear your birthdays soon kiddo."

"Will you come?" his eyes pleaded me and there was no way I could say no to that face.

"Of course I will! I wouldn't miss it!"

He beamed and jumped with delight "YEA!"

"We better be going" Tucker smiled taking Nina by the hand. "Take care of yourself!"

"You too!" I called after him.

"Bye Bye Liz!" Nina called over her shoulder.

"Yeah bye!" Jeffery waved violently before running ahead of his father and sister in zig zags, his arms out to the side like he was immitating a plane. I smiled after them, watching until they melted into the crowd.

_"You didn't use to be a kid person did you?" _Truth asked me.

"Nah" I turned around and began walking again. "I don't know... kids have kind of grown on me. I used to be just as crazy after all..." I let a smile creep over my face. "Back before I ditched home anyway..."

Alot of things had changed here about me.

* * *

"You'll never believe it." Gracia beamed at me when I came back to the inn later that afternoon. "We have guests now!"

"Really?" I asked and I grinned. It _had _been awhile since we'd had customers. We had to treasure every one. With the growing war most people who would need to stay somewhere didn't have the money. "That's great! Where are they?"

"They both went out into town to look around for now." she smiled warmly. "A young man and his father. Could you do me a favor and make sure their rooms are in order? It's the two on just to the left of your room."

"Yeah sure." I went up stairs and went into the first room where the luggage had been set. Dutifully I ran through a check list of the room, making sure every nessesity was there then did the same with the next room.

I started to headd back down stairs when I stopped and eyed the luggage. I wasn't exactly supposed to be nosy but...

I bent down to open the first case.

_"Aren't you the considerate one" _Truth commented dryly.

"Says the person invadeing my mind" I countered.

He actually didn't have an answer to that one, thankfully.

The suitcase popped open and I stared at the contents in confusion. Were these... fake arms and legs? That was wierd, was this guy some kind of doctor? I hesitantly grabbed one of the prosthetic arms and studied it thoughtfully. It looked like the socket was designed to connect to something. Was it possible that there were careers in automail here too? Or did this stuff work in a different way? I must've looked like an idiot the way I stared blankly at the fake prosthetics, trying in vain to understand them. I never had actually been able to understand Winry's automail rants, so this stuff didn't make much sense to me either.

A thought suddenly occured to me. The parts were for a right arm... and a left leg. Carefully I set the arm back and closed the lid and leaned back against the wall with a sigh, rubbing a hand wearily over my face.

"God, I'm a sucker for nostalga aren't I?" I murmured to myself, a small smile playing over my face. "Still trying to hold on to those little bits of my old life in Amestris... still trying to hold onto the people... the memories."

_"It's only natural" _Truth commented briskly.

"Easy for you to say" I murmured. "It might be natural... but it's also painful."

_"But would you really want to lose those memories if it meant getting rid of the pain?"_

I was silent for a moment, pondering this question before sighing "I just want the pain gone..."

_"Aw, but that isn't a proper exchange is it little al-chem-ist" _Truth told me, acentuating each syallble in my old profession. _"Either give up memories to get rid of the pain or keep them in deal with it... you can't have it another way. Its... equivalencey in a way."_

"Right..." I muttered. "Equivalency sucks."

Truth chuckled slightly.

I sighed and rose to my feet, ready to go back down and help Gracia when I noticed a little pouch sitting on the desk that I hadn't noticed before. I curiously strode over and dumped the contents onto the desk.

It took me a minute to register what fell out... a silver watch... with a lion. My eyes widened and I darted from the room, practically falling down the stairs as I ran. I skidded around the corner and into the kitchen gasping "Gracia, what did you say their names were again?"

"Let's see... Edward and Hoenhiem Elric." Gracia answered. "Liz... what's wrong?"

But I was already out the door and running down the streets. Ed was here? How did he get here? Was it really Ed? As I ran I accidently rammed someone with my shoulder almost sending me sprawling on the ground.

"Watch where you're going you-" I heard a familier voice yell behind me and I whirled and found myself staring into a pair of golden eyes.

He stopped talking, his lips frozen in mid sentence as his eyes widened. I stared back, still panting heavily, completely unsure of what to do. Unsure of how to react the familier face, the familier eyes staring back at me.

"L-Liz..." he whispered. "Is that... really you?"

It was him.

"Edward..."

* * *

_**See you next chapter!**_

**_Envy: You're a bad person..._**

**_You're not one to talk!_**

**_Envy: Oh I know._**

**_Liz: REVIEW!_**


	4. Chapter 3: Telling All Mostly

**_After that evil cliffy..._**

_**Envy: We're back!**_

**_Liz: Please hold the applause..._**

**_Ed: And review instead!_**

**_Al and Wrath: (with a double cuteness factor) PLEASE!_**

_Previously..._

_"L-Liz... is that really you?"_

_It was him._

_"Edward..."_

Ed stood wide eyed with his jaw moving up and down several times in a vain attempt to get words to come out. Then before I could react he lunged to me and crushed me in a tight hug murmuring "Oh my god... you're alive."

I hugged him back, burrying my face in his shoulder. Happiness flooded through me. Edward, my best friend... like my brother... he was here! It had been a whole year since I had last seen him... and it hadn't exactly been a happy goodbye either...

He pulled away and held me at arms length. The first thing I realized was that he was annoyingly and agonizingly taller than me... like, much taller than me. He had an inch on me before but now he was a good half a foot taller. The second thing I realized was that he was wearing his hair in just a pony tail, not his usual braid and he didn't have his red jacket on, which was a bit disorenting for me.

He looked down at me (which was annoying) a huge grin on his face "You really are alive. I never thought... I never thought I'd see you again..." he looked me up and down. "All of this time and you haven't grown an inch."

I promptly stepped on his foot "Shut up _pipsqueak_!"

Ed looked suprised. I guessed it had been awhile since anyone had actually called him small. But he was quickly ready with a retort "I'm a half a foot taller than you, you little shrimp! In fact I think you _shrunk_!"

I glared "I did not! And it doesn't matter how tall you are _YOU'LL ALWAYS BE SHORT IN MY MIND!_"

_"You mind is amused..." _Truth grinned.

_"My mind hates you..." _I retorted.

"Whatever" Ed groaned and shook his head.

"So... wait..." I said slowly. "How... did you get here?"

"I..." Ed sighed. "The same way as you Liz... I died."

I flinched at this. If that was true what had happened to Al... how did Ed get here after death? "W-who..."

"Dante."

"Oh" I tried to hide my relief that it wasn't Envy. "I guess... we have alot to talk about." I smiled and gestured for him to follow me. "Let's go for a little walk. I'll show you the town and then you can tell me."

"Right" he followed after me.

* * *

"And then I ended up here, met up with my old man and here I am." Ed finished.

We were sitting on a bench in the park area. I had listened wordlessly to him the entire time he had talked. After a long pause I sighed and leaned back against the bench "You should've dodged the spear you idiot..."

Ed winsed and rubbed a hand through his hair with a note of slight embarresment "Yeah... I was still, kind of in shock after you died, I guess my reflexes were slow."

"So do you think Al's alive?" I asked cautiosly.

He sighed "I hope so... something had to have happened to make me come here... I really hope so."

"And what about Envy?" I asked before I could stop myself. "What happened to him."

He studied me for a moment before replying "I don't know... he wasn't there when I came back... niether was Al..." there was a pause before he looked me dead in the eye and said "Liz... about... about Envy."

I tensed. I knew this was going to come.

"Look... I know, you might not want to talk about this but... I've been confused for a year... Hoenhiem couldn't explain it, and I don't have a clue..." he sighed and closed his eyes. "Why... did Envy switch to helping us after he killed you... I saw the look in his eyes. I never thought Envy could possibly look like that. I hated him because I thought he did everything in cold blood but I saw... pain... I need to know why..." I felt his eyes boreing into me though I avoided his gaze by directing my own twoards the ground. When I didn't reply he added a "Please." for good measure.

"Ed... look I uh..." I bit my lip. "I'm sorry. Understand I couldn't tell you then. I couldn't..."

"And now?" he asked cautiously.

"Now?" I let out a bitter laugh. "I don't even think it matters." I spilled what I had hidden, I told Ed everything. Maybe it helped to just let it all out. After one year you start to forget. Talking about it helped.

When I finished he stared at the ground, thinking, for a long time before smiling sadly at me "You really were caught up in this deeper than any of us weren't you? And it was never even your battle to begin with."

I mirrored the sad smile "It became my battle after awhile but... yeah..."

"I think I get it now" Ed said slowly. "It fits... He killed this other girl by accident and then he killed you the exact same way. I get what Dante was talking about to him now and why he snapped at her." He looked at me. "And you... you were starting to like him too... weren't you?"

I felt heat rise to my cheeks and I was sure my face had turned red "Uh... look..."

He waved a hand dismisivly "Drop it Liz, it's fine." He glanced down at his hands. "Back when you and I got into that fight in Risenbol... you remember, the one when I found out that Hughes had been killed."

I nodded. How could I forget?

"Do you think you were subconciously defending Envy there too?"

"...I wasn't thinking about it but... subconciously... maybe." I gripped the edge of the bench. "So about uh... his relation to you..."

"You mean about him being my half brother?" Ed muttered.

"Yeah... I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Ed stared at me "How could you Liz? You never had a chance to tell me!"

"Yes I did" I muttered. "I tried to stop the fight. I could've told you right then. I could've stopped the fight from starting but I didn't."

He blinked then laughed out loud.

"What's so funny!" I demanded.

"Liz, I really doubt you could of stoped that fight" he smiled. "It was... kind of inevitable..."

"Maybe..." I sighed.

"Envy really wanted to kill me didn't he?" Ed murmured after a pause.

"He lost his chance at killing Hoenhiem." I muttered. "You were the product of Hoenhiem's abandonment, he wanted to kill you." I picked absently at my sleeve. "He hated him... so much, he was so far gone with revenge, way deeper than any normal kind, mostly because it was his nature. He had more reason to hate Hoenhiem then anyone else. When he didn't get to kill Hoenhiem, you were the next reasonable target" I smiled bitterly. "He really envied you... you know that right?"

"I understand his name now too I guess" Ed murmured. "I understand... but I still hate him... for doing all of this. For killing Hughes, and for killing you and causing this whole screw up with the gate. Cause now we're stuck here."

"Ed, I'm the one who jumped in front of you." I protested. "That was _me_. It wasn't your fault, Envy's fault, it wasn't even Dante's fault. That was _my _choice. Mine alone. I acted on it. You should blame me for this whole screw up."

"If he wasn't trying to kill me you wouldn't of had to jump in the way" Ed pointed out. "Liz... I thought you were dead. I almost lost you... you're my friend..." he stood. "You can hold your own opinion about it an all... but that's mine. Not that it matters any more right?"

I stared at my hands "I suppose it doesn't." '_After all' _I added to myself. _'I would never expect you to forgive Envy or remotely not hate him. You guys have repelling personalities.'_

_"Funny isn't it?" _Truth mused. _"How two of blood relation can be so different yet in a way... alike?"_

_"Thank you fortune cookie..." _I thought. _"And not really... Al and Ed are opposites too... they just don't hate eachother."_

I rose to my feet. "Come on, let's head back to the inn. I've been staying there you know, ever since I came to this stupid place... Gracia has been really nice."

_"You didn't tell him about me little human" _Truth told me with mock hurt in his voice.

_"Who would want to hear about you?" _I countered moodily.

It was true that I hadn't told him about the annoying voice in my head or about the fact that my old wound still gave me so much trouble. I wasn't even sure why I hadn't told him. It's not like I'd lied... I just omited.

I guess in the end, I would always have a secret to keep.

* * *

_**Ed: Yeah! I'm back in the story.**_

**_Liz: For those of you wondering when Envy makes his grand enterance: it'll probably about three or four chapters._**

**_Envy: For now, settle for the authors notes._**

**_REVIEW!_**


	5. Chapter 4: Of Prices and Guilt

**_Some good old angst in this chapter! :)_**

**_Liz: Oh hooray..._**

**_Was that sarcasm?_**

**_Liz: uh... how would you like me to answer that question_**

**_Envy: I suggest running and hiding..._**

**_Ed: Or pleading for mercy..._**

**_Al: Both are good suggestions._**

**_MWAHAHAHA!_**

**_Liz: I'll take the first option!_**

**_Wrath: Review everyone (cute smile)_**

The sun was already dipping low in in the sky when Ed and I began our walk back to the inn. Gracia was going to get worried if I didn't return soon. These days, it wasn't wise to wander the streets at night.

...Especially if you're me if you know what I mean.

"We should take a short cut." I suggested leading the way to one of the shorter back ways that cut straight through to where the inn was.

"Hmm" Ed placed a hand on his chin with a smirk. "Who was it that once said, shortcuts always end up not being short cuts at all due to life threatening occurances that needlessly prolong the trip? I know I've heard it somewhere before..."

I frowned. "Don't go using my own words against me pipsqueak. I was right the last time remember?"

"And I don't trust going through an alleyway with _you_." Ed sighed. "Call me crazy."

"Whoever might attack us wouldn't stand a chance" I muttered. "Come on."

We were getting close to the inn, but the sun had sunk fast in the sky and it was almost pitch black now.

"Gracia's gonna kill me" I groaned. "Ok no she won't she's too nice but she's going to give me the I-was-so-worried-where-in-god's-name-have-you-been-Liz lecture... and I really hate that lecture. It makes me feel all guilty."

Ed grinned and shook his head but said nothing.

"It's not wise to wander all alone at night." I raspy voice said. I had a feeling it was trying to be intimidating. "Especially not for pretty little girls."

From the shadows stepped a bulky, muscular man with a gun. He looked like one of those I'm-gonna-knock-your-skull-in thugs. You got alot of those at night.

"Oh great Liz." Ed groaned. "You're uncanny ability to attract criminals has screwed us over again."

"Quiet lover boy." the man growled. "I'm talking to your girlfriend."

Ed and I looked at eachother for a minute before jumping as far apart as the alleyway would allow.

"Ugh! That's disgusting! I'm not his girlfriend! Ew!"

"Thanks Liz" Ed muttered rolling his eyes.

"Oh no problem."

"Hey can it both of you!" the man yelled, evidently getting annoyed at our lack of trembling in fear, pleading for mercy, etc. "Now give me what you have on you... and after wards" he looked at me with a sick smile "Maybe we can have a little fun."

"...That's absolutely revolting" I stated bluntly.

The man began to stalk twoards me. Ed moved to stand in his way but I held up a hand in an "I can handle this" gesture.

"You know I'd really hate to shoot ya." the man purred. "You really are a pretty little thing."

My eyes narrowed "You're not."

The man made a sort of growling noise in his throat and decided to try a different tactic by pointing his gun at Ed. "Why don't you shut it before I shoot the boy."

"You press that trigger you'll regret it for the rest of your short life." I said evenly, a deadly edge creeping into my voice.

Ed glanced at me, unsure of what I was doing.

"Prove it" the man grinned and there was a bang.

Ed's right arm had come up, effectivly blocking the bullet but I still siezed the hilt of one of my knives and stabbed it into the thug's leg. With a moan of pain he slumped to the ground, clutching at his injury.

"Y-you... bitch!" he sputtered as the gun slipped from his fingers and onto the ground.

"You asked me to prove it" I said tonelessly, staring blankly down at the man.

"L-Liz?" Ed was staring at me wide eyed.

"Come on Ed, time to go." I yanked my blade from the man's leg and began to walk swiftly away.

"D-don't you walk... away!" I heard the man growl and a sound of a click.

"Liz!" Ed yelled and I whirled instinctivly sending the blade in my hand soaring through the air. It hit the man in the chest with deadly accuracy and he fell back to the ground, the gun slipping from his hands.

I stared coldly at the man "Bastard... trying to kill me when my back was turned? You coward."

Ed opened his mouth several times in an attempt to speak but the words never came. I started to turn and walk again but a sudden pain coarsed through my torso. I dropped to my knees, clenching my fists and gritting my teeth in pain as an anguished cry managed to slip from my throat before I could stop it. The pain slowly intensified and I keeled over onto the ground, my vision becoming blurry.

"Liz!" Ed seemed to have found his voice again. The last thing I saw was a flashlight shining in my eyes and Ed's worried face before I blacked out.

* * *

When I woke up I was lying in my bed back at the inn. My abdomen still throbbed painfully. It had been a bad one. Slowly I managed to turn my head to the side to see Ed standing at the door next to the familer silloet of Hoenhiem talking in a low voice before his father placed a hand on his shoulder and left.

Ed turned back to look at me and relief washed over his face upon realizing I was awake "Liz... are you ok?"

"Fine" I muttered. "I'm used to it." with great effort I tried to force myself into a sitting position but Ed quickly stopped me.

"Just rest Liz" he said soothingly. "It's fine."

"What happened" I asked.

"Officer Hughes came right after you passed out and we brought you back here" Ed explained. "You've been out for a few hours."

"Sounds about right" I murmured.

There was a pause before Ed asked "You get these alot?"

"Yeah, they suck." I nodded. "Too much adrenalin, too much stress, or too much exertion. All can trigger these attacks. It's one of the prices I payed for living."

"That's not the only thing" Ed said quietly. "Liz... you killed that man back there."

"He tried to kill you" I pointed out dully.

"That's not the point Liz!" Ed's grip tightened on my shoulders and he shook me slightly. "You never used to kill! You hated it! Every time you accidently did you freaked out and back there you killed him without so much as a second thought!"

I winsed as a sharp stab of pain came back to my wound and Ed let go of me flushing "S-sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you..."

"It's fine" I looked at him. "I know what you must be thinking of me right now... but what happened when I died is I lost the fear of killing... I found this... balance you know? If it comes down to killing to survive or death I have to kill. So I can't really afford guilt. My own death kind of helped me comes to terms with that..." I bit my lip. "I'm not a psycho now... if I hadn't moved fast I would've been shot, end of story."

"I know" Ed sighed. "I know Liz... it just threw me off... your lack of emotion."

"Sorry..." I murmured. "I haven't really been myself ever since I came here... but it hasn't been so bad you know? Uh... there's alot of nice people here and I've been getting along just fine. I mean everyones been real nice."

"Idiot" Ed muttered. Pulling me into a hug. "You don't have to be so strong you know... it's been hard for you hasn't it?"

I froze for a second before letting out a shaky breath "Y-yeah... it has been..." I felt my vision blur and I closed my eyes letting a few tears slip down my cheeks. "...hard."

It was an understatement... hard barely covered it.

No words really could...

* * *

Later that night when the pain had subsided I decided to go down stairs to see if I could scrounge up any food. Yawning, I flicked on the kitchen lights and began to rummage throught the cabnets for some left over poridge.

"Good to see you're up and about"

I whirled at Hoenhiems voice, banging my head on the cabinet in the process. "Ow." I muttered, pressing a hand to my forehead. "You startled me old man. What are you doing down here this late at night?"

He smiled "Yes, sorry... I've been having a little trouble sleeping."

"Oh..." I stared down at the counter top, avoiding his gaze "Hoenhiem... I wanted to ask you... about your son."

"Edward or Alphonse?" Hoenhiem asked confused.

"Not them" I gripped to edge of the counter top. "Your _other _son."

There was a long silence from behind me before Hoenhiem sighed "You mean William..."

"Huh?" I turned to look at him.

"His origional name... before I turned him into what he is now." the man murmured.

"Oh..." I thought that was a little ironic. Back when I first met Envy in Lior that had been the cover name he used. "Yeah... him." I took a deep breath. "After you... turned him into what he is now... why did you leave?"

"Four hundred years ago I was much younger and foolish man" Hoenhiem smiled sadly. "I was selfish in the sense that I wanted to get away from Dante... and the guilt I felt after turning my son into a monster... I couldn't bear it so I left."

"Monster" I echoed. "That's what you believe he is?"

"I took away his soul and his humanity." Hoenhiem's voice was soft and sad. "I gave him a hatred and animosity twoards the world and even more twoards me when I left... therefore dooming my younger sons to be in danger as well."

"Do you ever think you made it worse when you left?" I asked cautiously.

"Looking back... yes... after four hundred years he was so twisted by the stones..." Hoenhiem trailed off.

"I disagree." I stated. "I think Envy... still has humanity left."

Hoenhiem flinched slightly when I said the name. It was the first time it had been spoken during the conversation "Edward told me about the circumstances of your death and what happened afterwards Liz... I find it incredible that Envy could turn on Dante after so many years of serving her..."

"It wasn't really ever for her... he just wanted to kill you if you came around again" I said before I could stop myself.

"Who told you that?"

"He did... he told me lot's of things."

"Hmm..." he absently stroked his beard. "You remember the conversation we had back in Risenbol?"

"Yes" I nodded. "When I asked you about the homunculi, and them still haveing some humanity in them."

"All I can say is that maybe you are right" he said. "When faced with the right person... maybe they do have a kind of humanity left with in them... and I all I know to say is... thank you for finding that humanity within my son..."

I flushed "Uh... no problem. You know it's odd. Everyone else has refused to believe that the homunculus is actually the one they tried to bring back to life but you seem to accept it, still calling him your son and all."

"A matter of perspective I suppose." he mused, but he looked like he was hiding something from me. Still I decided to drop it.

"Uh... if you don't mind me asking... what was he like as a human?" I asked cautiously.

Hoenhiem smiled "Daring, bold... a bit rebellious... actually, very simaler to Edward... then he died when was eighteen..."

"How?" I dared to ask.

"Mercury poisoning." he sighed. "It was a common ingredient in my experiments... he was exposed to the fumes and he became sick. With in a month the toxin took him. Dante never actually seemed to sad... I was though..." a bitter smile flitted on his face. "Obviously..."

"Right" I closed the counter, a little to much on my mind to eat now. "Thanks for telling me..." As I headed back to my room I caught a shadow hurrying up the stairs and I heard a door closed. Ed must've been listening...

I wonder how much he heard... but if he had heard anything he never let on the next day. I would let him keep his thoughts secret though.

I kept enough of them myself to allow him to keep a few.

* * *

_**Yeah angst/ insight!**_

**_Envy: I wasn't in the chapter but they talked about me alot..._**

**_Liz: Meh, maybe that'll satisfy the fans..._**

**_Ed: Yeah, as you can see, I still hate Envy's guts._**

**_Al: It's pretty obvious..._**

**_Wrath: REVIEW!_**


	6. Chapter 5: Stories of the Past

**_I'm back! Now we're actually catching up to the movie plot!_**

**_Liz: Starting with an old flashback thing._**

**_Envy: She's not even going to bother to italisize it so we thought we'd let you know._**

**_Ed: It's the scene at the beggining of the movie, you know?_**

**_Al: Also we're including the carnival scene!_**

**_Al H.: And you get to meet me!_**

**_Ed: Uh..._**

**_Envy: Which ones which?_**

**_Liz: Kind of hard to tell..._**

**_This is going to get confusing..._**

**_..._**

**_..._**

**_Wrath: This is awkward... REVIEW!_**

_**Three years previously...**_

"Ed, remind me why we're doing this again?" I asked moodily.

"Because this guy wouldn't shut up about his Uranium bomb and he was getting annoying!" Ed snapped impatiently. "Why is it so hard for you to not complain at everything!"

"Because I was teamed up with you two against my will that's why" I grumbled. "I want to go my _own _way. And do you really think Al can handle this?"

"Of course he can." Ed waved a hand dismissivly.

"The bomb dude is gonna think he's you, you realize that right?"

"...so..."

"So you set yourself up to get pissed off pipsqueak."

"Shut it Dwarf!"

"Elf!

"Flea!

"Atomic molec- ugh, I lost interest in this argument. We've had it too many times" I muttered.

"Whatever" Ed put on his little helmet.

I stared at him oddly "Why are you wearing that thing?"

"It's cool."

"No, it looks like you put a fish bowl on your head."

"You're jealous!"

"Why would I be jealous? I don't like sea food!"

"Oh shut up!"

"You make lofty speeches but your real reasons are clear!" we heard bomb dude yell at Al from below. "The state only gives you authority because of your slchemic power!"

"Authority?" Ed muttered incrediously.

"What authority." I huffed. "I'm stuck with these two against my will. I have no authority."

"Do you hate us that much?"

"Not Al. Just you."

"Thanks alot!"

"No prob!"

"You are afraid that a weapon like this will render you obselete at war" bomb dude continued in a way that made me believe him hypocritical for saying Al was making lofty speeches. "And with that the state alchemist's strangle hold on the state will weaken! Now let's see what the alchemist of the people really looks like!"

"You're up for dissapointment" I hissed under my breath. "He currently looks like a fish rights activist."

Ed casually wacked me over the head.

We heard the sound of drills and a clank as something hard and metal was thrown to the ground. There was a silent pause filled only by bomb dude's quiet chuckles and light footsteps followed by a gasp "That's impossible! It's empty! How can that be! It couldn't just be able to move on it's own. That's completely unexplainable... But no! Everything... everthing in the world can be explained."

I held a snigger back with my hand and glanced at Ed "Ready to make a dramatic enterance."

"Hell yeah." he grinned clapping his hands together and slamming them against the ground. The stone floor beneath us fell away to create stone steps leading down to the level below where bomb dude and Al were.

"You made three big mistakes" Ed smirked as he walked down the steps. I grinned as he decended and hopped over the gap he created to move over to an area above the place behind bomb dude, waiting to make my own enterance.

"Who are you!" bomb dude demanded angrily.

Al jumped to his feet "Brother what took you so long! He put holes in me!"

"Sorry! I got held up!"

"Tell me who you are!" bomb dude demanded again, expression teetering between out right shock and fury.

Ed turned his attention back to the man and raised one finger "Mistake number 1: See we were never actually interested in your bomb in the first place. We just came because you wouldn't shut up about it. That and the off chance it could help us on our own search."

Bomb dude let out a sound sounding like a mix between a snarl and a wild cry of fury and drill things burst from his sleeves and headed right twoards Ed. The first slammed him in the right arm, the second knocked his goldfish bowl helmet off.

"Brother!" Al cried.

"You'll take me to Central if you value your life" bomb dude sneered before he suddenly seemed to realize that the drill on Ed's right arm was having no effect whats so ever. Ed casually reached up and grabbed the drill with his hand, stopping it's movement.

"Mistake number two" he stood slowly, drill still in hand, the torn shreds of his right sleeve falling away to reveal his _shiny _steel, automail arm. "That young and promising state alchemist you were reffering to... is me."

"Automail" bomb dude glared. "So that what it means. You're the Fullmetal alchemist!" he looked about ready to attack again as Ed snapped the drill but the boy grinned devilishly "Hang on pal... you forgot your third mistake."

"And what is that!" he snarled.

"I thought you'd never ask" I called loudly with a large smirk, straightening my gloves before I blasted a hole beneath me, causing the celing to fall away. I lept down from the hole and landed on one knee a few feet behind the bomb dude before standing up and holding out my black gloves in front of me to display the white transmutation circles on them. The source of my infamous lightning alchemy.

"Your third mistake was that the Fullmetal alchemist came with a companion, another state alchemist..." Ed grinned as the man whirled to look at me, a shocked expression on his face. "The Lightning alchemist to be exact."

"Yo" I waved once.

"This little girl?" bomb dude looked confused.

"I going to kindly disregard that comment of yours" I growled. "Let's do this Ed!"

"Don't have to tell me twice." he lunged through the air, transmuting his arm into a blade as he charged the drill dude. He dodged Ed's attack and whirled to fire a drill at me. I dodged, clapped my hands and pressed them against the electrical contraption. Light flashed and the drill sputtered and died.

"That things powered electrically" I grinned. "I send a little shock through it, the currents get interupted and it goes dead."

"Nice work Liz!" Ed called, charging again.

Bomb dude stepped back from us and pulled out a can of stuff that exploded into smoke rendering me blind. I heard retreating footsteps as the smoke slowly disapated and Ed yell "Come on! He's getting away!"

"Right!" I followed Ed and Al in pursuit of the bomb guy.

We were led into a huge room, lined with winding stair cases and fixed with a giant drill machine in the middle. A drill machine that was started by bomb dude and began careening straight twoards our direction.

We barely jumped out of the way, Ed and I going one way, Al another. Bomb dude pursued us with giant drills of death.

"God what is with this psycho!" I yelled over the whir of the drills as I ran next to Ed. "Scientist my foot! He's insane! Why can't there be any normal scientists who want peace and prosperity or something cheesy like that!"

"Just keep running!" Ed panted. "Hey, can't you shut this thing off with your lightning alchemy?"

"The engine is at the center, I can't reach it!" I called. "Least ways, not without risk of getting impaled by deadly drills!"

"Split off of me!" Ed waved his hand to the series of other ramps around the room. "He'll probably keep after me."

"On it!" I grabbed the railing to the side and swung myself over the edge before redirecting myself back to the ramp below and coming down safely in a roll, then darting in the other direction. As Ed had predicted, bomb dude seemed set on killing him first and kept on him.

I around the ramp before I came to a place where the platform holding the drill machine of death was and jumped from railing to machine before beggining to quickly climb up the side. At this point, bomb dude was getting _really _pissed off and the fact that the machine kept spinning and changing direction so quickly made climbing up it a tad bit hard... actually insanely hard. There were a few times I almost slipped.

By the time I had gotten to the top I was sweating and my heart beat against my chest wildly from the adrenalin rush. Then the drill machine jerked to a sudden stop and I looked up to see Al had stopped the drills movement up at the top of the machine.. Grinning I swung myself onto the back of the cock pit of the drill machine and called "Hiya!" before clapping my hands together and slamming them against the engine, cutting off the whirling drills "Ha... I hope that didn't cost you alot of money dude."

"Nice work guys" Ed clapped his hands together and transformed the drills into his signature, creepy Ed head- god that thing always really creeps me out- before he started to walk twoards the bomb dude.

"If it weren't for you alchemists" bomb dude accused. "Us physicists would be leading the world into a new enlightened age!"

"Enlighten them like that!" Ed hissed gesturing over to a tunnel where lay a huge pile of the corpses of Uranium miners. I suddenly felt like throwing up.

"Uranium mining is dangerous" bomb dude said dismissivly. "It's the cost of progress!"

"Tell that to those peoples families" I growled. "You're not the one losing something, you've got no right to talk!"

"Science that doesn't benifit people is no science at all!" Al added adimently.

With a growl bomb dude jumped to his feat and pulled the uranium bomb out of his coat and held it in front of him "Stop! Don't come any closer!" We all flinched back and Ed froze in mid stride. "You know what this is now! Interfere and I'll use it."

"Dude stop swinging that thing around!" I exclaimed. "You're gonna drop that thing and I'm gonna laugh!"

"He drops that thing we die" Ed pointed out.

"Oh... right..."

"I may not respect your science" bomb dude continued drawing a piece of paper from his jacket that had a transmutation circle drawn on it. "But that hasn't stopped me from learning it. As a man of advansed physical equations, a few circles were easy enough to understand."

"Well aren't you mister amazing" I muttered.

"What are you planning now?" Ed asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"It's my back up plan Fullmetal" bomb dude sneered moving over next to the pile of corpses "An army of men combined with machines. You won't stand a chance!"

"Don't do it!" Ed exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'll just short circuit them anyway." I reasoned.

"That's human transmutation!"

"Oh yeah, that too..."

"Listen to me" Ed pleaded. "Life only flows in one direction and people arent meant to be brought back from the dead. It's alchemy's greatest sin."

"Your archaic rules mean nothing to me! I am a man of science!" bomb dude explained as he placed the paper on the ground and clapped his hands together before slamming them down on the ground beside the body pile.

"Stop! NO!" Ed yelled but it was too late... moments later, he was gone.

* * *

"Just like what happened to us." Ed murmured as he looked out at the sea from where we stood on the edge of the little hidden mining facility. "We tried to transmute mom but I pulled your soul back first. But in his attempt, he lost it all..."

"I can't exactly say I'm _sad _to see him go" I shrugged.

"Yeah" Ed shrugged. "Anyway, we need to get off this island before it explodes."

"WHAT!" Al exclaimed just as the first bomb sounded off. "Why did you do that!"

"I didn't like it..."

"Why do you have to be so impulsive! You could've told me" Al looked to me. "Did you know about this Liz?"

I smiled evily in response.

"Of course she did" Ed grinned. "She helped me rig them..."

"What is wrong with you two!"

"I like to see stuff blow up" I deadpanned.

"Quit whining. Let's get going." Ed said turning to leave.

Five mintues later we were in a boat with a leak over the ocean and Ed was now heroicly panicing "We're sinking, we're sinking, we're sinking!" he yelled as he hurriedly tried to shovel water over the side.

"Yep, so impulsive." I sighed from where leaned back against the side of the boat.

"WILL YOU HELP!"

"Nah..."

Ed lost his bucket and then snatched Al's head off and began to shovel water out.

"Hey!"

"Quit whining I need to get this water out!"

"Well then transmute something! You don't have to use my head!"

"Hurry up boys!"

"SHUTUP LIZ!"

* * *

"And that's how the hero of the people and the lightning alchemist became known all throughout Amestris." Ed finished as Al and I laughed, me sitting beside him in the passengers seat and Al right behind us.

It had been about another year since I had found Ed again. In that time we had found Alphonse Hedrich, the Al of this world and he was now staying with us as well. Also in that time Hoenhiem had left again. Ed and I didn't know why. All he had left was a sheet of paper that said "_In case you ever need it... I, Vol 4, Sec 2."_

Did we know what it meant... no... but whatever. Ed was taking it pretty well. As if he hadn't really expect Hoenhiem to stick around long. I guess he was over most of his daddy issues that had lasted for so long.

This worlds Al was into rockets, these things that flew and every one was expecting to go into space one day. We were on our way to a carnival where he and his team were giving a demonstration and were hopefully getting a sponser.

"I'm telling you Ed, you and Liz should right stories or something." Al chuckled.

"They aren't just stories." Ed sighed. "You saying you don't believe us?"

"No sane person has the ability to comprehend it." I pointed out with a small pensive smile.

"Come one guys" Al said with another laugh. "A world where alchemy moves ahead of technology? Modern science is letting us expand in new ways than ever before, reaching more progress then anything alchemy could achieve."

"In this world you mean" Ed argued. "I'm telling you that-"

"ED EYES ON THE FREAKING ROAD!" I exclaimed as Ed swerved off and we landed straight into a tree.

"...god you distracted nut of a pipsqueak" I muttered as we stared at the broken down vehicle moments later.

"Shut up shrimp!" he snapped glaring at me.

"Don't fight guys another car looks like it's coming" Al said calmingly, always the peacemaker.

"Hey!" Ed waved his arms at the incoming vehicle. "Hey over here!"

Al began coughing suddenly into his hand like he did alot these days and I turned conserned to look at him "You ok Al?"

"Just a little cold Liz, I'm fine" he tried for a convincing smile but it seemed forced to me.

Yeah... right... and my attacks are just hunger pains...

I wish...

The vehicle pulled up beside us. It was a truck with a wooden cart on the back carrying several dark skinned women as passengers. They wore strange clothes and jewlrey and most of them were very pretty.

_"Gypsies" _I realized.

"Heading to the carnival?" the man driving asked.

"Sure are" Ed nodded.

"Hop in" the man offered. "If you don't mind riding with gypsies, we're on our way there too."

We took the offer since we didn't have any other option beside walking and also because we weren't so racially predjudice like most other Germans in this day and age. Jews and Gypsies were getting hit the hardest and I couldn't help but be reminded of the Ishbalans. Maybe that was why I took pity on the supposed "races of parasites". Because nothing good came out of hating people who were a little different then you.

"So uh... what kinds of things do you guys do at the carnival?" Ed asked.

"Lot's of things" a woman leaned forward alluringly. "Singing, dancing."

Al glanced over noticing a much quieter gypsy sitting in the corner "What about you? What's your act?"

"She's a fortune teller" Another woman grinned. "And she always gets it right."

I raised my eyebrows, a little skeptical of this claim. Probably just a bit of advertising. After all, those things were unscientific.

"Can you read mine?" Al asked.

"Aw come one" Ed sighed. "You know how unscientific that stuff is!" He cut off as the girl placed a hand on his shoulder from behind. There was a short pause before her brown eyes widened and she drew back.

"You're like us... you have no home."

Ed and I drew in a sharp breath in unison and glanced at eachother obviously thinking the exact same thing. How the Hell did she know that? It was actually a little bit scary that someone could guess that from a touch... unless of course it was just a lucky guess but some how I doubted it.

"There it is! The carnival!" I looked ahead of us and sure enough saw the colorful flags flapping in the distance. The first Gypsy woman drew back her hood and began singing, a soothing foreign melody and the others began to join in. They all sounded amazing. Soon everyone had joined in, clapping, tapping on their knees, harmonizing with their voices. The only ones who didn't were the strange fortune teller, and us three non Gypsies.

The fortune teller's brown eyes never left Ed as he stared solemly ahead, deep in thought. She looked conserned. Al did as well, looking between her and Ed in silence. I scooted over next to Ed and nudged him gently with my elbow.

"Hey... you ok?" I asked in a hushed voice.

He smiled bitterly "No... you?"

"Never." I sighed glancing back at the Gypsy woman who quickly averted her gaze. Who knew...Maybe she did have a different way of seeing things...

* * *

_**Wow... long chapter...**_

**_Envy: Longer than expected..._**

**_Liz: Yeah, it's almost 4,000 words..._**

**_Huh... anyway, projected number of chapters till Envy appears is two more chapters. He wont be in the next one but in the one after that._**

**_Al: Hooray! The other me is in the story!_**

**_Wrath: I'm not! But I'm cute!_**

**_Yes you are you little abomination of God... REVIEW!_**


	7. Chapter 6: What Runs through My Head

**__****Hi again everyone... I am updating quite prompt lately... though suprisingly the summer might slow things down a bit... see I've been putting three other stories on hold that I need to start up again. I've just been updating this lately as I chose it to be the one fic I kept writing for the remainder of the school year. I'll still update quickly but maybe not like, every two days like I am right now...**

**_Liz: Nice speech..._**

**_Envy: In other words she's gonna start getting lazy..._**

**_IT'S THE SUMMER ALMOST! I'M SICK OF STUPID SCHOOL!_**

**_Ed: Ok ok!_**

**_Al: Put the gun down Kallypso!_**

**_Liz: Quit waveing that thing around!_**

**_Envy: The joys of being imortal... Review!_**

Much later, after helping Al and his co workers get set up for their rocket demonstration, Ed and I had decided to go back and wait by the truck. We had seen the demonstration a million times so it wasn't that facinating now. Plus niether Ed or me were feeling too hot after the cruel little reminder of our homelessness...

It was true, I considered myself to have no home in this world... sure I stayed with Gracia along with Ed and Al... but my home was back in Amestris... It was funny, we didn't really have much of a set home there either with all of our traveling around. I guess the Rockbells were like family there... their house was sort of like ours. It was interesting how they had practically adopted me after I teamed up with Ed and Al.

I still remembered the time before Ed and I could stand eachother... we were frenemies in a since. Then the crap with the philosiphers stone and the homunculi started happening and we grew closer. In just those few short months Ed became like an only slightly annoying twin brother and Al the innocent younger siblings. I missed Al alot... and Winry... and just about everything from my old life...

I missed Envy too... but I would never admit that to anyone. I still wasn't sure if he was even alive... if he was I hoped he wasn't tearing himself apart about my death... it wasn't his fault... I felt awful for jumping in front of the stab... not awful that I had saved Ed but awful that I had caused Envy to re live and old nightmare. At least he hadn't killed Ed himself though... no one should ever kill his brother... not even a homunculus.

"By the look on your face I'm guessing you're thinking about home too huh?" I jerked out of my thoughts to see Ed smiling sadly at me.

A small smile crept onto my own face "Yeah..."

At least I had Ed here... he was my only grip to my old life... in the past two years we had grown... though not in hieght in my case. We understood eachother with deeper maturity, and we might've been closer than ever. Not in _love _ew... don't even think about that... but just as really good friends. I knew he liked Winry secretly... I knew Winry must miss him more than anything. If only I could get it through his thick head that she liked him too!

...Guess it didn't matter now...

"Do you sometimes wish you could forget?" Ed asked, staring at his fake arm, flexing his fingers. "So that the pain could go away?"

_"Hmm... I remember once asking you the same question" _Truth mused.

Yeah he's still there... unfortunately...

"No..." I murmured. "I wish I could just have the pain be gone... but that isn't equivalence. Give up the memories with the pain or keep them and deal with it... and my memories have shaped me. I could never give up all the good parts of those years..."

"You're remarkably insightful today." Ed commented.

_"No, you're stealing my words" _Truth quipped.

_"Can it... you can't exactly claim the rights in my head." _I retorted before shrugging in response to Ed "Huh, maybe."

We both suddenly felt a thump against the cart and looked up to see someone climbing under a tarp with a rocket under it.

"Hey, you might not want to go digging around in there" Ed grinned wryly. "That rocket is set to launch."

The tarp lifted slightly to reveal... the fortune telling Gypsy from earlier? And she looked afraid too.

"There she is!" a man's voice called and three guys ran over to the cart and pulled the tarp away that shielded the girl. She threw up her arm to shield herself but one of the man grabbed her arm and tried to pull her from the cart "Come here girl!"

"Hey what are you doing!" Ed snapped.

"This woman has a contract with us!" the man at the lead growled.

"Really? And did she agree to said contract?" I asked snidely, raising an eyebrow.

"Help me!" the girl pleaded.

Ed hurried to the girls aid, pushing the men away and yelling "This is a carnival! Go have some fun!"

"I don't think you heard me right!" the man yelled back, drawing a gun from his belt "We bought this gypsy fair and square!"

"You can't buy a person you idiots." I rolled my eyes. "Unless you're slave drivers, in which case you can go die."

"Shut up little girl!" another one of the men yelled.

My eyes narrowed "That's it..."

"Yeah, you asked for it." Ed raised his hands and clapped them together. After a few moment of awkward pause he looked back up at the confused men with a mischevious grin "Sorry, just an old habit of mine."

Then he charged the man at the lead in attempt to wrestle the gun away from him while I leapt from the cart, straight at the man who had insulted my hieght and planted a foot in his face sending him to the ground. Another man came at me and with a grin I ducked low under his arm and hurled all of my body weight into his legs sending him toppling over and landing ungracefully on his face, flat on the ground.

"That's what happens when you mess with short people" I grinned before blanching. "Augh! I just called myself small!"

"The truth comes out!" Ed grinned mischeviously as he continued to fight the first man. Goon number one managed to knock him back and with a grin Ed jerked his elbow back revealing the gears and wires underneath the fake skin before grabbing a wire and pulling it out. The gears wizzed and buzzed and steam came from his arm as he twisted it back into place, his grin just as wide as ever.

"Show off" I muttered, rolling my eyes as Ed ignored me, lunging forward and twisting his spazzed out arm around the goon's, squeezing hard until he broke it and the guy dropped the gun in obvious pain.

The other lackeys were starting to get up and Ed jumped up on the cart beside the girl tilting the rocket twoards the men "You might want to run..."

A rocket explosion and several unconcious men later we were running from the carnival with the gypsy girl in tow.

"Where's your home?" Ed asked as we ran.

"I told you, I don't have one" she murmured.

"Well I guess there's only one obvious solution then" I sighed with a slight smile.

* * *

We took Noah, as we found out her name was, back to Gracia's where she found some clothes for her and put her in a spare room. Noah repeatidly thanked us for saving her from the goons at the carnival long after we told her that it was nothing and not to worry about it. Al was accepting too, welcoming her to stay with us.

But I was curious about something myself... something I wanted to ask Noah.

I knocked lightly on the door to her room and her voice came from inside "Come in."

I opened the door and stepped inside with a smile "Uh... hi."

"Hello." she smiled. "Liz is your name right?"

"Uh, yeah" I nodded. "Uh can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"The fortune telling thing" I fidgeted. "What... do you see when you touch me?"

She smiled "I thought you an Edward believed it was unscientific."

"Well..." I shrugged sheepishly. "I'm curious is all. Do you mind?"

She shook her head and gestured for me to join her where she sat on her bed. She took my hand and seemed to stare off into space for several moments before she spoke "You come from where Edward does... you two are friends... You want to go back there even though it's dangerous because you like that, because it's your home." she let go of my hands. "And I saw a suit of armor..."

"Wow..." I stared. "You really hit it right on the dot... that's... that's... really cool."

She laughed slightly "Was that all you wanted Liz?"

"Uh yeah" I grinned awkwardly. "Thanks." I stood and started twoards the door before Noah's voice stopped me again.

"Liz, there was one other thing too... there was a boy with long green hair... who is he?" she asked quietly.

I froze and stared at the ground for a second, my fists clenched. "He's..." I sighed and closed my eyes. "Just someone I used to know."

"Is he dead?" she murmured.

I let a small smile creep over my face "I'm not quite sure...I hope not..."

"Sorry... if that brought back painful memories." Noah apoligized quickly.

I raised an eyebrow "Hey, don't worry about it Noah. Your gift is awesome... and trust me, they'd be painful without someone reminding me." my hand subconciously reached up to touch my scar, the physical embodiment of all the pain said memories really did bring...

But even that didn't really cover it.

"What's up with you?" Ed asked as I slumped down the stairs.

"Nothing" I smiled. "Just got Noah to read my fortune and see what she saw..."

"Oh..." I murmured needing no further clarification.

We seemed to gain plenty of understanding from eachother through no words at all these days.

Like a wave length of depression...

Huh... yeah... something like that.

* * *

_**Anyone notice how much more depressing the movie is from the book?**_

**_Liz: Astronomically... the show had light hearted moments but the movie is almost straight through depressing._**

**_Ed: Here's a little trivia: In the course of a ten minute section on youtube how many people died? Just guess and we'll tell you in the next chapter._**

**_Envy: And laugh as you get depressed._**

**_But take heart because ENVY WILL BE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! I know, I'm a saint._**

**_Envy Fangirls: YIPPEE!_**

**_Envy: I'm gone._**

**_I know some of you might be thinking: Aren't I an Envy fangirl? Nah, I'm not into fangirlism... besides the occasional glomp. I've maintained a steady healthy obsession ever since I watched the show a year ago._**

**_Ed: That's creepy..._**

**_Liz: Yeah..._**

**_Al: REVIEW!_**


	8. Chapter 7: Malicious Grudge

**__****Next chapter! Enter everyones favorite palmtree!**

**_Envy: I am NOT a GODDAMN PALMTREE!_**

_**Ed: I think it's time you just excepted it Envy.**_

**_Liz: Yes, it'll make you feel better._**

**_Envy: Pipsqueaks!_**

**_Liz: GO DIE!_**

**_Ed: I'M NORMAL SIZED NOW DANG IT!_**

**_Envy: Not in my eyes chibi san._**

**_Ed: Screw you!_**

**_This is where some of my creative liberties come in by the way. I'm taking a different direction with sort of a loop holeish explanation but OH WELL!_**

**_Oh and also, the answer to that trivia is five. Al Hiedrich, Hoenhiem, Envy, Gluttony and Wrath... in a ten minute segment, five major characters died. Happy right?_**

**_Al: Review!_**

"Are you really sure it's allright I stay here?" Noah asked Al and I when we were sitting at breakfast the next morning.

"Ugh, stop asking that." I muttered.

"They're looking for you right?" Al reasoned. "This is the only option." He smiled. "Besides I'm glad, this is the first time Ed's ever been interested really in a girl."

I resisted the urge to yell about the fact that Ed was meant to be with Winry because... I didn't want to look like a psycho.

"I'm not saying Ed is anti social or anything... he just never get's attached to anyone." Al continued.

"What about Liz?" Noah questioned. "He seems close to her."

"Well not like _that_." I blanched. "He's like my brother... and since we come from the same place we already _were _attached to eachother." I looked at Al and grinned. "And yeah, Ed and I our kind of anti social... you don't have to try to cover for us."

"Right" Al smiled and pushed his plate away before hefting his bag over his shoulder and starting twoards the door with an excited grin "I'm goind now! Let Ed know when he wakes up! I can't believe we have our own factory now!" and with these words he left.

"What about you?" Noah asked quietly. "Do you keep yourself detached as well?"

"Kind of" I smiled sheepishly. "Old habit... the closer I get to a person, the more likely they are to get hurt..."

* * *

_**Third person!**_

"What an annoying town" a lone figure sighed from an alleyway, his voice tired even though he himself was not. "Humans _everywhere. _And I'm camoflauged as one of them... laughable." Not that he hadn't always camoflauged himself back in Amestris but this world was different. No one knew of alchemy, or anything like that. And he didn't have a set goal in mind as he walked around as one of them.

...Well, he had one goal... but after two years at had become seemingly hopeless. This world was huge, there could've been any number of places where _he _could've turned up. The burning resentment remained, it always would.

He hated having to walk around in this body... the other three alternatives were worse, or at least would never suit this world. But it was a constant reminder of _him._ His so called _father. _It looked like _him, _and he hated it.

He heard a voice suddenly, one that he picked up from all the other voices in the crowd, a familier voice saying "Come on... ignore them." He lifeted his head and peered with gold eyes at a familier blonde pipsqueak walking through the crowd, another girl with dark skin and hair behind him. He was taller, his hair was in a different style, his clothes were different but there was no mistaking him.

"Well little brother... fancy seeing you here." Envy murmured, a smirk drawing across his face.

This would be fun...

* * *

_**Third person with Ed!**_

"Come on, we'll avoid that crowd. This ways less crowded anyway." Ed told Noah, angry at the men back there for belittling her.

"I'm fine Edward, I'm use to the words" Noah murmured with a slight smile. "Ed, do you think Liz is ok?"

"She wanted to wait at the inn, she'll be fine" Ed shrugged.

"You worry about her?" Noah asked quietly.

"Every damn day" Ed sighed smiling a bit. "Come on."

"Edward Elric."

Ed whirled at the voice behind him. A few yards away was a tall man with shoulder length blonde hair and gold eyes, accompanied by an achingly familier smirk. He had seen that face before... where had he seen that face before? "How exactly do you know my name?"

The man laughed "I'm suprised you forgot about me so quickly... _little brother_."

The two words made Ed's blood run cold and his eyes widened for a moment in shock before narrowing in a threatening glare "_Envy_...then you crossed the gate..."

"Your deductive skills amaze me" Envy sneered, his glare just as venemous as Ed's.

"Edward?" Noah was staring from him to the homunculus with a mixture of confusion and fear.

"Noah." Ed said through his teeth. "Go back to the inn... _now._"

After a pause she obeyed and left.

"Was that your girlfriend?" Envy smirked and Ed growled.

"Can it! More importantly what are you doing here! And... why do you look like that!" Ed demanded.

"Think about it this way Fullmetal _pipsqueak_" Envy said, enjoying how Ed twitched at the long un used nickname. "Can you do alchemy?"

"...no." Ed muttered.

"So how flexible exactly do you think my shape shifting is?" Envy raised an eyebrow, prompting the boy.

"...you're stuck in that form." he realized.

"Close... but you're on the right track." Envy shrugged. "I was in four different forms while I was in the gate. This is one of them, another was my usual form, the third was you and the fourth..." he smirked. "Well that's not too important."

"So then why this form!" Ed demanded. "I thought you hated it. It's the reason you hid it so long!"

"You may have noticed anyone who looks different in this place tends to be a target of unessasary attention" Envy pointed out, his lazy smirk never wavering. "This rules out my prefered form and I was certinly not going to go around as you... I suspected you ended up here anyway and I hate you. This form was the only option."

Ed found it interesting that no matter what face Envy wore, it still looked like him. Maybe the smirk always stayed the same... or maybe just the same glint of hate in his eyes... or the un failing ability to piss Edward off.

"So now what?" Ed's eyes narrowed, his fists clenching.

Envy's eyes flashed "You wouldn't happen to know where our _father _is, would you pipsqueak?"

It still suprised Ed how much hate Envy could put into one word. He was also suprised to realize that he possibly hated Envy more in this form... the form he turned into right before Liz had pushed him out of the way. The form of his half older brother. He looked like a younger Hoenhiem... he looked like Ed too. That's what Ed hated the most... the profound _simalarities _between him and the homunculus he loathed so much.

"Even if I _wanted _to tell you, I couldn't" Ed growled. "He dissapeared a year ago."

"Just like him" Envy mused before looking back to Ed with a malicious grin. "Well, I guess this conversation is over then." Then he lunged.

Ed gasped as Envy sunk his fist into his stomach, knocking the wind right out of him. He doubled over and fell to his hands and knees, gasping for air, pain making his vision a little fuzzy. Envy was still strong as Hell even in this world.

"That was pathetic" Envy sneered, walking over and grabbing Ed's pony tail, yanking his head back so that the younger boy was forced to stare up at him. "You've gotten a little sloppy haven't you little brother?"

Ed curled his right hand into a fist "Don't. Call me. That." and he swung his fist up, manageing to cuff Envy across the cheek, causing the homunculus to stumble back a bit. Ed rose back to his feet, knees bent in antcipation of the oncoming fight. "I'm not your brother!"

"Huh, hate to break it to you pipsqueak but you are" Envy's smirked, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.

"You really want to push your luck _Envy_." Ed growled. "If you can't shift any more I bet that means you can't reginerate. And that means you're not immortal any more!" without waiting for the homunculus response he lunged at him, his fist cocked behind his head.

"Maybe not but..." Envy side stepped and twisted to the side as Ed shot past him. "I'm still stronger than you!" he caught the younger boy in the back with a smooth round house kick. Ed rolled forward to break the fall and was up again in an instant.

Envy smirked at the still determined look in Ed's eyes "You think you have a chance? I've had four hundred _years _of practice pipsqueak."

"And I had the best teacher in the world." Ed snapped back.

"Yeah? You ever beat her?" Envy countered snidely.

Ed flinched, obviously not factoring this in and Envy cackled.

"Yeah, I didn't think so." He grinned. "But if you really think you can beat me then quit stalling _little brother._"

And that was all the encouragement Ed needed to lunge.

* * *

_**First Person!**_

I sat in my room, lying on my bed in silence, staring blankly up at the celing. The celing wasn't very interesting but I found myself un able move onto a more interesting activity anyway. I just felt like laying there and letting time pass.

_"Come on little human." _Truth coaxed. _"You should get up."_

"I don't want to..." I sighed.

_"So lazy" _Truth chided. _"You should do something..."_

"There's nothing interesting to do."

_"More interesting then staring at the celing."_

"Your point has merit but as usual I'm going to ignore you. That would require me moving."

I heard the door slam open from down stairs and Noah call "LIZ! Are you there? Come quickly!"

_"Oh yes, things are about to get very interesting" _Truth giggled gleefully, which was not at all comforting.

"Liz" Noah panted appearing in the doorway and I sat up quickly.

"What's wrong Noah?" I looked around. "Where's Ed?"

"That's the thing... we ran into someone in the street, trying to avoid the crowds" she explained quickly. "And Ed... he got really angry. It looked like a fight was going to start. I didn't like the look in either of their eyes."

"What? Someone call him short?" I asked quizically.

"He isn't short" Noah seemed suprised by my comment. "And no. I think they knew eachother."

"That's funny... getting into fights is something Ed has never" I paused. "Really avoided... but you say this looked bad?"

She nodded wordlessly.

"Ok, I'm coming." I rose to my feet and grabbed my knives. "You remember the way?"

She nodded and gestured for me to follow "Hurry!"

I followed Noah down the streets, ignoring the shouts of "The gypsy is runnin! Probably stole a wallet! Parasites!" When she skidded to a stop I saw that a small crowd had formed, watching whatever was going on take place. I could hear the un mistakable shouts of Ed though.

"Oh this doesn't look good." I muttered dashing for the crowd. Unfortunately... I'm short. It sucks to be me. With a growl I pushed determined through the crowd. I had to get to Ed...

* * *

_**Third person again with Ed!**_

Despite the fact that Envy didn't have endless energy anymore, Ed was tireing faster and the homunculus knew it. He was just toying with him, dodging every attack he threw at him gracefully before coming back with a hard blow. He wasn't trying. Ed was still able to dodge the majority of the blows but the ones that he couldn't hurt like Hell. His lip was bleeding and he was already bruising up. He wasn't going to last much longer. To make things worse a crowd had gathered to watch, doing nothing. Just watching. Brawls weren't un common, brawls were actually a form of entertainment for some people.

Then Ed took a wrong step, a move he knew was going to cost him the fight as soon as he took it, but it was too late by then. With lightning speed Envy swiped his feet out from under him. As he fell he felt a hand wrap firmly around his neck and slam him down to the ground hard, causing stars to briefly dance across his vision and just second later he was staring up at a very triumphant Envy.

The hand tightened around his neck and he found breathing suddenly difficult. Ed gripped at Envy's wrist, trying to pry the hand off but it was a vice like grip. The malicious glint in Envy's eye was un mistakable.

"This is the part where you give me one good reason not to kill you little brother" Envy hissed venemously, his eyes narrowed, his lips twisted into a snarl. The hand tightened a little bit more around Ed's neck. "And I most likely don't listen."

"...Liz." Ed managed to choke out.

The malice faded from Envy's eyes for a moment as he stared blankly down at Ed, his grip loosening just a bit. Ed almost felt sorry, it was a low blow and he knew it. It was obvious that Envy had been trying his hardest to push the event of her death from his mind.

"Have you... forgotten Envy..." he continued hoarsely. "Why she jumped... in front of the blade..." He didn't tell him that she was alive... he would think that he was lieing... he would kill him faster. And Ed didn't even want him to know that she was alive... not really.

Envy stared at the younger boy for a long time, as if trying to decide what to do. For a minute, Ed thought the homunculus was going to let him go until the grip tightened once again "Liz is dead Edward" Envy stated dully.

Ed tried to say something more but breathing was no longer possible, much less talking. _'Damnit!' _Ed thought. _'Why is no one doing anything!"_ Then a voice broke through the crowd, one that he was glad and worried to hear at the same time.

"Ed!"

Envy froze at the voice. Ed managed to turn his head to the side to see Liz, standing at the front of the crowd looking confused and pissed off "What the Hell?"

"Liz" Ed choked.

Envy's hand left his neck and Ed rolled over drawing in deep gulps of air, coughing in between breaths. Envy was staring at Liz, with a blank expression, almost as if he was trying to figure out whether or not he was halusinating.

Liz stared at him for several seconds in confusion, as if she recognized the face as well until the light dawned on her and her eyes widened, her mouth dropped open slightly to draw in a sharp breath of air. She knew.

"En..vy?"

Envy said nothing, he seemed almost in a state of shock.

Recovered from almost being strangled Ed took the oppurtunity to lunge at the homunculus. With a speed he didn't think possible Liz lunged forward and caught Ed's wrist yanking him back from his attack.

"STOP IT!"

Then her face twisted suddenly in agony and she dropped to one knee, clutching at her abdomen where Ed knew the scar was. A cry slipped between her clenched teeth though she tried to stop it without success.

"Liz!" Ed forgot about Envy and dropped down by her side.

"I'm... fine..." she hissed before she winsed in pain and curled in on herself.

"Like Hell you are! Someone help!" he called, worried for his friend.

He heard Hughes's voice breaking through the crowd "Out of the way! What the Hell is this!"

Liz gave a shudder and fell back on the ground, out cold. It was a bad one.

Ed turned back to where Envy had stood a moment before but the homunculus had dissapeared.

"Damnit Envy" he whispered rubbing his neck, where he knew there would be finger marks.

"_Damn you..."_

_**Third Person with Envy**_

Envy stopped running after a few blocks and turned into the alleyway before leaning against a wall, his head lowered. Thoughts were jumbled inside of his head. Was that really her? Or just her double, the fake.

_'No' _he thought. _'She saw me... she knew me...' _he had seen her say his name too. _'The tin can's alchemy did work...Liz is alive.'_

And for one of the rare times in his life Envy tilted his head back and laughed.

* * *

_**If I do say so myself, a pretty intense chapter...**_

**_Envy: Hooray, I'm back..._**

**_Ed: Oh yippee..._**

**_Oh and for those of you who wanted to know there is EnvyxLiz in the next chapter :) So REVIEW!_**

**_Liz: Oh good, my life isn't completely emo and depressing..._**

**_Quit whining... REVIEW!_**


	9. Chapter 8: Reunion

**__****I've been having a dilema lately. You know how Envy has green hair?**

**_Liz: Obviously._**

**_Well, recently I realized that alot of things that are black in anime sometimes just look like a darker version of another color, like purple or green._**

**_Envy: Yeah..._**

**_So then could your hair actually be black!_**

**_Ed:... why does this matter?_**

**_THIS IS VITAL! IF HIS HAIR IS ACTUALLY BLACK THE PALMTREE TERM LOSES MERIT!_**

**_Envy: In that case... yes, my hair is black._**

**_I REFUSED TO BE SILENCED!_**

**_Envy: Aw, damn..._**

**_Liz: REVIEW!_**

I woke up feeling like complete crap. This had been one of the worst attacks I'd had for a few months. My eyes flitted to where Ed sat by the bed, his head down. He must've fallen asleep while he was watching me.

"Ed?" I asked timidly.

His head jerked up "Liz... good you're awake."

Honestly, he looked like Hell. There was a bit of a blackeye forming on his face and I could see the bruises in the shape of finger marks on his neck.

That's when it all came rushing back to me. The guy attacking Ed... Envy's origional form... Envy was alive.

"Ed... what happened..." I whispered, my voice almost too quiet to hear.

"...he started it." Ed muttered, staring at the ground. "I was fighting back... he really kicked my ass... I've gotten really sloppy..."

"He was trying to kill you?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"Yeah... it's a good thing you showed up actually" Ed rubbed his neck. "But I'm fine... I guess."

I sighed and sat up, rubbing a hand tiredly over my face "Envy's alive..." a small smile stole across my face.

"...yeah..." Ed stood. "Do you need anything Liz?"

"Nah I'm fine, you can go" I smiled. "I'm feeling good now."

"Ok... see ya." Ed left the room, closing the door behind him.

"God, the sun is almost setting..." I muttered as I got up and went over to the window. "I was out awhile."

I went back over to the bed and sat down, resting my chin on my folded hands. Envy was back... he was alive... the one image I couldn't get out of my mind though was him strangling Ed when I broke through the crowd. Malice filled eyes that I had seen all to many times. Then he saw me, he froze and the malice went away like a shot. He just stared... and I stared back... until Ed lunged at him and I stopped him. It was almost reflex. Then the pain hit and I didn't really remember anything after that.

Why had he been trying to kill Ed?

_"Why do you think?" _Truth asked.

"I don't know, you tell me. You are _Truth _after all." I snapped.

_"Yes but I'd rather see humans figure the truth out for themselves... it's much more interesting." _Truth giggled creepily.

"Oh fantastic, you're helpful." I sighed sarcastically. I sat on my bed with my eyes closed for a long while thinking. After a long whiler I let my eyes wander to my desk and rest on my silver watch. I stood picked up the watch, staring at it for a moment. My eyebrows knitted together for a minute. Where the heck... did my other knife go? One was sitting on the desk but where was the other one?

"You know you can be incredibly un observant sometimes kid." a familier voice smirked.

I whirled on the spot, the watch slipping from my fingers and clattering to the ground. There was Envy, in the form I was more used to, twirling the missing knife between his fingers, a slight smirk on his face.

"Envy" I breathed, unable to be mad at the nickname in my shock. "I-you-how-I... how did you know where I was staying?"

He raised an eyebrow "Really, that's the first question you ask? Granted that's a legitimate question but I'm pretty sure that should be question number five."

"Fine then!" I took a deep breath. "How'd you get past the gate? How long have you been here anyway? How can you still shift? Why were you in that form today? Why were you trying to kill Ed today? Why-"

Envy clapped a hand over my mouth, cutting off the stream of questions. I wasn't exactly sure how he'd gotten across the room so fast.

"Try to keep it down Liz." he smirked, taking the hand away and stepping back a little ways.

"S-sorry" I muttered. "Y-you just caught me off gaurd... Coming in through the window and all."

"Well I couldn't exactly come in through the front door" he pointed out, crossing his arms and leaning back against the wall.

"Uh... right... point taken." I stared at the ground. "Uh so... how long have you been here?"

"As long as you... two years I guess it's been." he mused. "Though I was trapped in one form for about a year before I was able to shift again. I've been wandering for the rest of the time trying to find-" he cut off pressed his lips together in a thin line.

"Hoenhiem?" I finished quietly. There was no need for him to confirm it with the suddenly vicious gleam that had popped into his eye. "It's been a year since I've seen him so I couldn't tell you even if... I wanted to..."

"I understand" he muttered, glaring at the ground.

Of course he did... I had told him about my animosity twoards revenge. Why I hated it and why I couldn't support anyone bent on it even if it seemed justified. He got that... but he still wanted Hoenhiem dead...

"It's... it's nothing personal or anything Envy I just-"

"Don't worry about it" his eyes met mine and a small amused smirk played across his face. "I _do _understand Liz... you don't have to make excuses."

Envy being understanding... I'm really gonna have to get used to that...

"What form were you trapped in for that first year?" I asked deciding to change the subject.

Envy sniggered "As random as it sounds, it was a dragon... or a giant serpant kind of thing. Not the best form to be stuck in."

I stared "Seriously? You're not just messing with me?"

"Nope."

"Damn..." I blinked. "So you can still shift?"

"I only have four forms... the ones I transformed into while I was in the gate." Envy explained. "My old human form, this one, the giant serpant and a clone of the Fullmetal pipsqueak. Normally I would always use this form but you might've noticed how anyone looking remotely different these days is ridiculed and I didn't want to have to deal with that... as much as I hate this damn form."

"Well it's better than nothing" I huffed. "Ed and I can't do any alchemy any more and it sucks... plus all the simaler faces _still _throw me off and that sucks... plus according to everyone else I'm an amnesiac or that's what I told every one when I came here." I sighed and shook my head. "This world is screwed up."

"...how did you get here?" Envy murmured.

"Beats me" I shrugged. "I just woke up lying in the middle of the street and Ms. Gracia took me in... little over a year ago I ran into Ed and... Hoenhiem... about a month later he dissapeared, and Ed and I met the Al of this world... not much else to tell besides that."

I vaugely remembered the conversation I had with Hoenhiem the year before about Envy. I would never bring that up to him though. What would he care anyhow?

"Envy?" I murmured. "Why were you trying to kill Ed today?"

He flinched at this, a brief flash of guilt crossing his face "I... well, truthfully when I saw him here, walking around... perfectly fine... I thought that you were..." he trailed off before continuing. "I hated him for living instead... So... I wanted to kill him..."

I pressed my lips together and sighed before saying "Look Envy... Ed is my best friend... he's like my brother and... well being away from everyone else is hard enough, being stuck in this world... and he's one of the only things still keeping me sane... please don't kill him... promise me you won't try to kill him again. I can't lose him..."

Envy studied me for several moments before nodding "Ok..."

"Can I trust you?" I persisted.

Envy closed the gap between us remarkably fast and I found myself back against the wall, the homunculus looming over me, my chin held between his fingers, tilting my head up so that I was looking straight into his eyes.

"Yes... I promise I won't try to kill him."

"G-good." I stuttered, slightly unerved by how close he was to me.

A smile passed over his face "It's ok Liz."

"I-I know I just-" I was cut off as he leaned forward and pressed his lips softly against mine. It was gentle, almost hesitant, as if he was afraid of hurting me. It was amusing to me that someone who had beaten Ed so easily in a fight could be gentle at all.

I was only frozen for a moment before I relaxed into the kiss, my eyes slipping closed. The kiss deepened, became less hesitant and I liked it. Or maybe that was an understatement. After several moments he broke away, the corners of his mouth tilted upward in a slight smirk.

"You like that don't you?"

"Shut up" I muttered, feeling heat rise to my cheeks at his teasing words but there was no real bite to my sort of uncreative retort. "You-"

"Shh" Envy murmured in my ear, I could feel him smiling. "Keep your voice down. Something tells me you wouldn't want the pipsqueak to come up here at the moment."

...huh... he had a point there... that would lead to a _very _awkward situation.

I shivered as I felt Envy's cool breath dance across my neck, his lips brushing my ear "I thought you were dead" he whispered, a bit blunt about the concept we'd been avoiding the whole conversation. "I thought I had killed you."

"It wasn't your fault" I muttered. "I jumped in between you two, it was mine."

"Really?" he asked. "Then answer tell me this... why was it you collapsed today? And don't try to lie."

"It... was my scar" I relented.

"Right, where I stabbed you... I'm the one who started that fight anyway." Envy stated.

"No it-" I tried but he cut me off.

"It doesn't matter now." he told me, looking me dead in the eye. "You're alive..."

I relaxed with a sigh "Yeah... I'm alive... you're right."

"Liz?" I heard Noah's voice call from outside my door.

"Damn it's Noah." I whispered before calling. "I'll be right there!"

"Guess I should leave." he leaned forward, his lips brushing mine one last time. "See ya kid."

"Stop with that damn nickname" I muttered.

He chuckled "Sorry, old habits die hard." before he headed to the window. He paused just before he jumped and said "I'm glad you're... alive."

"Yeah... you too." I smiled.

He flashed a familier smirk and then he was gone.

"Come in Noah" I called absently.

"I thought you might want some food, since you were passed out most of the day" she said entering the room and setting a tray down on my desk.

"Thanks" I replied, realizing just how hungry I was.

"Are you alright?" she asked timidly. "I heard voices?"

"Oh nothing, I'm fine" I murmured glancing over at the window.

"I was just talking to myself."

* * *

_**I think that turned out pretty well considering how long it took me to get it right...**_

**_Liz: Yeah well enough..._**

**_Envy: I guess..._**

**_HA! YOU GUYS ARE STARTING TO LIKE EACHOTHER!_**

**_Both: N-no we aren't!_**

**_Ed: Sigh... REVIEW!_**


	10. Chapter 9: Talk meant to go unheard

**__****After that filler: WE'RE BACK TO THE PLOT!**

**_Liz: Which has been significantly changed by Envy's differences and the fact that we decided to cut the fuers double from the movie._**

**_Envy: Cause no one really knew why they introduced his random character as a good guy anyway, or what significance he really had._**

**_Ed: So we're using plot holes to figure out about the Thule society!_**

**_Wrath: HOORAY!_**

**_Envy: What are you doing here?_**

**_Wrath: I've been absent from the past few authors notes._**

**_REVIEW!_**

I have a habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time... as can be supported with plenty of evidence from my recent past. I also have a habit of sticking my nose into things I really shouldn't and finding out more than I bargained for...

You might wonder why I bring this up.

Trust me, it won't take you long to find out.

The day after Envy's visit through my window -a visit which Ed, thank god, didn't find out about- I went out for a walk. See walks used to have a trend with getting me screwed over back in Amestris, but here hardly anything happened that was remotely dangerous or exciting, so I could usually take my walks without falling into some trap, getting kidnapped, or discovering something twisted or messed up.

No such luck today.

I tend to pick up on alot of peoples conversations when I walk... it's not that I'm nosy or anything... well I am but anyway: I find out alot of stuff just by listening. When I was walking through a less crowded area of the city, past an alleyway a bit of interesting gossip met my ears.

"General."

"Good afternoon Dr. Haushoffer."

"Any luck so far?"

"No, we can't find the Gypsy girl any where."

I stopped in mid stride and glanced twoards the voices. There were four men, two of which were talking. The first looked like a man in the military, the other like a scientist with a thick mustache. The other two... were the goons from the carnival.

Fan-Flippin-Tastic

The conversation caught my attention for two reasons, one I was sure they were talking about Noah and two I had heard the name Haushoffer from Hoenhiem before he left. Someone that he worked with.

"Damn" Haushoffer muttered. "I was hoping she could find the great serpant for us. Eckheart says it may be possible without it to open the gate to Shamballa and we plan on trying... but I have doubts. I feel the circle will be incomplete."

I was frozen on the spot. Gate? Shamballa? What was Shamballa? Circle? Were they talking about a transmutation circle? Who was Eckheart? And even more than any of those questions... was the great serpent they were talking about... Envy?"

"Sightings stopped a little under a year ago" the General was saying. "Are you sure the serpent was ever real?"

"Eckheart believes so." Haushoffer sighed. "We trust her judgement for now. The Thule society is dependent on her..."

"So you are trying tonight?"

"Yes we-" Hausoffer cut off in mid sentence and turned... to stare straight at me. I guess I got so caught up in the conversation I forgot to act casual and I was standing frozen, staring straight at them, wide eyed.

Great job Liz...

"Can we help you?" the General guy asked his eyebrows raising.

"Uh... heh heh... no" I backed up waveing my hands back and forth. "Nothing to see here... I'll just be going now."

I know, I'm the queen of subtlty right?

"Hold it." the General was walking twoards me. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about our current topic of conversation would you? Because it seems it would be un interesting to an everyday commoner..."

"Um...no..." my eyes trailed to the other goons who seemed to be trying hard to wrap their minds around where they'd seen me before. I had to get out of here. "It's definetly not interesting at all to me! Really!"

"Are you positive about that?" the General guy knew I was lying.

"Absolutely" I beamed. "I'll just leave you two to talk about your completely mythical other worlds ok?"

"I don't recall us ever saying that Shamballa was another world" Hausoffer mused, joining the General in front of me.

One of the goon's brains suddenly seemed to work again "HEY! THAT'S ONE OF THOSE RUNTS WHO HELPED THE GYPSY ESCAPE AT THE FAIR!"

"Oh shit." I muttered. "I'm gone." I ducked swiftly under the General's arm as he tried to grab me and bolted down the alleyway. The thugs tried to stop me but I shot under the first one, knocking his legs out from under him and kneed the other one in the face as I jumped before coming down in a roll and running as fast as I could.

"Stop her!" the General commanded. "Bring her back!"

The goons were hot on my trail because while they weren't amazing at fighting, they were fast and annoyingly persistant. Arms pumping at my sides I skidded around a corner and stopped as a short twinge shot through. I heard their voices getting louder. Which way did I go?

I felt two arms grab me from behind and yank me behind a tall stack of crates in the alleyway, covering my mouth and cutting of by cry of suprise.

"Don't. Move." an unfamilier voice whispered in my ear.

My natural reaction was of course to move and I tried to struggle out of my captor's grasp but his grip was strong, pulling me back against his chest.

"Which way did she go?"

"I think she went this way!"

I heard the voices and footsteps slowly subside and the hand dropped away from my mouth and the person sighed "Who's out to get you this time kid?"

Relief washed over me. "Envy is that you?" I turned to see the tall blonde boy that was Envy's human form smirking at me.

"Who else did you think it was?"

"The voice was unfamilier to me and judging by _my _luck it could've been any random kidnapper or serial killer or... something!" I snapped irritably though I was very relieved that the goons had lost track of me. "What are you doing here, anyways?"

"I was just walking back this way, I try to avoid crowds." he shrugged looking amused. "I saw you running and you kind of froze up in the middle of alleyway there so I decided to grab you before those guys caught up."

"Uh... right..." I muttered, staring at the ground. "Thanks I guess."

"Don't mention it" He waved the gratitude away. "So why were they chasing you?"

"Uh... I over heard something I wasn't supposed to... and I had a run in with them at a carnival a few days ago. Ed and I saved this Gypsy girl who I guess had a "contract" with them, obviously made against her will as she was running..." I grinned sheepishly. "That goon recognized me... not suprised, I kicked him in the face pretty hard... they still need to find her for some reason or another... guess they were hoping to find out from me."

"You have the unfailing ability to get on peoples bad sides kid" Envy sighed, shaking his head.

"You have the unfailing ability to _smirk constantly_." I retorted. "And I don't get on peoples bad sides that much! They just attack me for no good reason!... Like you for example! I never did anything wrong to you and you kidnapped me all the time!"

Envy was unfazed by my temper, leaning casually back against the wall "That's not true... you called me a palmtree on several occasions _shrimp_."

"THAT'S BECAUSE YOU CALLED ME SHORT!" I exploded. "And besides it's true! You're hair _does _look like a palmtree!"

"Well then it's also true that your short" Envy smirked patting me on the head.

"I AM NOT!"

"You're also loud."

"I AM N-" I stopped realizing I was yelling. "...I hate you..."

"Oh, no you don't." his smirked widened. "At least you didn't last night, did you?"

"Sh-shut up." I muttered, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. "You are so... so..." I groaned in exasperation, as I couldn't find a word at the moment.

Envy just chuckled... the smirk _never _leaving his face I might add.

I suddenly heard a gun click and I whirled around to see the goons, the professor, and the General standing at the head of the alleyway. The general was pointing a pistol at me, "Alright don't move girl."

"We're in the middle of an argument here" I muttered, glaring at him. "Can you come back later?"

"Quiet!" the General commanded sharply. "If you hadn't been so loud, we wouldn't of found you anyway."

I heard Envy snickering behind me.

"Envy shutup" I said through an extrememly forced smile.

"Where's the Gypsy girl?" the General persisited. "We know that you know where she is!"

"Let's say I wanted to tell you, then what?" I asked iceily.

"That is none of your consern." Haushoffer said in a much calmer mood then the General. "It is not something normal people need to know about."

"Oh but I'm not _normal,_ gentlemen" I said, grinning evily. "How many _normal _people do you know who are _this close _to slicing that gun out of your hand and beating answers out of you, huh? Please answer honestly."

"Don't play tricks with us little girl! We'll-" the General started but I was already moving, my knife sliding into my hand with practiced ease and slicing upwards, cutting the barrel of the shiny pistol in half and sending it flying from his hands.

"I don't like it when people point guns at me" I growled. "And I really don't like it... when people. Call. Me. _SMALL!_"

The goons moved in to attack me but I kicked his feet out from under him, twisted and punched him to the side as he fell. The second came at me and I ducked under his arm and punched him in the ribcage bringing him down. Then a sudden sharp pain shot through my abdomen and I fell to my knees, wincing in pain.

_Why, why again already? I should get at least a few days break after that bad one yesterday!_

_'You're working yourself too hard little human' _Truth warned.

_'No freakin duh Sherlock!'_

The General grabbed a gun from one of his fallen goons and pointed it at me "Damn brat."

With lightning speed Envy was in front of me, grabbing the gun and forcing it up before the General could fire, sending the bullet harmlessly into the air. "Give. Me. The gun." he said in a low threatening voice. The General let go of the gun and stumbled back, funny enough. I guess Envy looked pretty scary, even if he was in his human form. He pointed the gun at it's previous owner, his finger on the trigger.

"I would leave if I were you." he growled, his face dead serious, a vicious gleam in his eye. "And I won't kill you."

"Damn you" the General growled. "Let's go!" He glanced at me. "This isn't the end girl!" then they left.

Envy tossed the gun away and bent down next to me "You ok Liz?"

"I... yeah..." I murmured, staring at him in shock. "Quick thinking, thanks."

"You may not be helpless kid," he sighed. "But you shouldn't pick fights when you're that out numbered."

"I could've handled it if I hadn't-" I cut off suddenly feeling guilty. "Uh... nevermind."

A small smirk crept onto Envy's face "That's my point. Because of that scar you've got, you can't fight that many people without risking an attack am I right?"

I bit my lip and stared at the ground "Uh... yeah... you're right..."

"My point is _watch yourself._" he pulled me to my feet.

"Oddly enough, you seemed worried about me" I teased with a grin.

He rolled his eyes "Just don't be stupid ok kid?"

"Yeah... ok." I sighed. "Thanks... again..."

He smirked and looked up at the darkening sky "I think Fullmetal pipsqueak is going to freak out if you stay too long."

"Ah... crap." I muttered slapping a hand to my forehead. "You're right... I'll see you later..." I waved before cracking a smirk. "_Palmtree_." and darting down the alleyway.

"You too _shrimp_!" he yelled after me, glaring.

I managed to get home before it got completely dark but Ed was still waiting "Liz where've you been?"

"I had a run in with some... people. I'm fine." I said evasivly. "I got away."

"I can see that" Ed sighed. "Now who were these people?"

I told him about the conversation I had over heard between the proffesor and the General and how the goons had chased me before stopping abruptibly, realizing that I might want to leave out the Envy part. "...So I, out ran them..." I finished lamely. I sounded so guilty of omition that I almost winsed.

Ed eyed me, his arms crossed, his eyebrow raised "I thought we were past your little phase of hiding things from me."

I bit my lip "Ed, do you _really _want to here about Envy?"

"Wh-what? What does he have to do with this?" Ed demanded. "Did he attack you?"

"Uh... no... actually he kind of saved me..."

Ed blinked in disblief "Really?"

"Yes Ed." I sighed in exasperation. "He may hate you but you might've deduced that he doesn't hate me!"

"I know, I know... I'm glad you're ok" Ed muttered looking sheepish. "So anyway, about Haushoffer..."

"Yeah, I remember the name too." I nodded. "Didn't your dad work with him or something?"

"Yeah... I think he teaches at the university." Ed nodded. "If we're gonna learn something we'll have to do a little snooping. You in?"

"Duh." I yawned. "I'm tired. I'm gonna go get some sleep."

"Right... oh and Liz."

I turned, an eyebrow raised.

"Do you have any idea what they meant by great serpant? I can't figure that one out." Ed asked.

Oh I had an idea. But I wasn't sure I wanted him to know.

_Tell him or tell him not..._

"No clue" I shrugged the lie rolling with suprising ease off my tongue. "Sounds wierd right? Probably some wierd legend or an expression or something like that... maybe we'll figure out tommorow if we look around."

"Yeah guess your right." Ed nodded. "Night Liz."

"Night." I called heading up the stairs.

_'You lied so easily there little human' _Truth giggled.

"Yeah." I murmured. "Lying may not be my specialty... but I do it so much I guess I'm bound to get better at it some time..."

* * *

_**So as you can see, Envy and Liz still have a sort of love hate relationship going...**_

**_Envy: I do enjoy messing with her..._**

**_Liz: Thanks alot._**

**_Ed: REVIEW!_**


	11. Chapter 10: Making a Powerful Enemy

**__****Okeydokey! I may or may not update again after this chapter for another week because I'm going to a camp and we can't bring electronic devices :(**

**_Envy: She can probably get in one more update after this though_**

**_Liz: If everyone reviews of course!_**

**_Ed: Yep... no Envy in this chapter, fortunately... me and Liz mostly._**

**_Envy: I hate you too._**

**_Ed: I know that, you tried to kill me._**

**_Envy: Yes, that was fun._**

**_Liz: Break it up or I'm stabbing both of you._**

**_Both: Fine..._**

**_REVIEW!_**

Ed and I went to the university the next day to ask around, however as it turned out he wasn't there.

"All of Haushoffer's lectures have been cancled today" a student told us. "He's at his villa

"Yes, he's been spending alot of time working with the Thule society." a girl jumped in.

"Thule society?" Ed and I exchanged glances.

"Yeah, you haven't heard of them?" the students looked disbelief.

"Yeah, Thule is a small island in the north written about in ancient mytholgy. The Thule society wants to harness the power of the Gods that dwell on the island and use it to reclaim the destiny of the Aryan race."

"Uh... right" Ed smiled awkwardly.

"This Thule society looks a few equations short of a transmutation circle to me" I whispered to Ed as we walked away. "But I'm still curious."

"Yeah, what could he be doing up in his Villa?" Ed wondered aloud. "You know, if we were smart we would probably drop this subject right now."

"So we're going tonight?" I grinned.

"Hell yeah."

* * *

"The professor sure has alot of gaurds around his place" Ed muttered as we hid behind the hedge, peering out at the stiffs with guns and flash lights that scouted around the garden. This house was huge... mega huge. It was bigger than any place I'd ever seen before.

"Ancient Gods, cults... how are they gonna save their country with a myth?" I murmured. "Unless..."

"Unless they really are trying to open the gate and get through to our world" Ed murmured, finishing my sentence. "Who knows, maybe there's a way without alchemy in this world to open the gate... Guess that's what we're here to find out."

"Yeah... now how to get past the gaurds..." I looked around until I spyed a broken window just above us. "Ed give me a boost." Ed held out his hands in a foot hold and I placed my foot there. With a grunt he launched me up. I rolled through the open window, barely managing to avoid getting impaled by shards of jagged glass that stuck up every which way, before landing in a crouch. I looked around for any sign of gaurds in the hallway but found none.

I stood and peered through the window "All clear. Come on up."

Ed clambered up and slid carefully through the window, one piece of glass catching the skin on his cheek as he edged his way through leaving a shallow cut there, causing him to hiss slightly before he managed to get through all the way.

"You ok?" I asked, gesturing to his cheek.

"Yeah, I'm good, I've had worse" Ed sighed.

I grinned "No argument there."

We crept through the dark halls of the building, careful not to make any noise. Strangely this place reminded my of lab five, it looked abandon but I had a feeling it was hiding some dark secrets within. Lab five... Where I had been brought after first being kidnapped by Envy... these memories found the stranges times to probe at my mind.

Ed caught sight of a small window on the wall of the hall and peered through it "What? Rockets?"

I looked through too and saw below us a huge room full of rockets of all types. This place really was giant and hiding something. They looked alot like the rockets Alphonse built "Al... don't tell me these people are your sponsers" I murmured.

"Let's keep going." Ed said taking my arm and pulling me ahead.

"Yeah... right" I followed, not exactly wanting to dwell on the fact that Alphonse might be working for some bad people.

We finally reached a huge round room that seemed to go up forever, lined with huge collums made out of a brown stone material. In the middle of it was a gigantic drawing, drawn out with what looked like chalk.

"What is this" Ed murmured venturing forward. A grin passed over his face. "Looks like a sorcery diagram or something. Maybe a spell for sacrificing virgins or summoning demons from the depths of the earth... these guys are hopeless."

"No Ed... look... the equations, the lines, it's not sorcery it's alchemy." I stared around at the dull chalk from where I stood behind the coloum. I didn't feel too good about this place. "It's a gigantic transmutation circle."

Ed stared for a minute at the ground before nodding "You're right... but why? Alchemy isn't supposed to work in this world so why have this circle here?" he muttered before dropping to his knees and studying the drawing. "It's incomplete in some places though" he picked up a fallen piece of chalk, stared at it for a second then looked back to the circle on the ground. Carefully he set chalk to the floor and began to fill in the gaps.

"Ed wait." I murmured. "We should leave... it's not like it'll work anyway. Niether of us have been able to do alchemy since we came here." I bit my lip and looked around the room. I was starting to get the creeps. I felt like someone was watching us."

"What's with you being so suddenly jumpy?" Ed asked, an eyebrow raised.

"I've got a bad feeling about us staying here that's all" I snapped. "Can't we just go find the guy and get it over with?"

By this point Ed had completed the circle and he sighed "You're right I guess... It won't work anyway... guess I'm just a sucker for nostalgia." he rubbed a hand tiredly over his face then moved it down to place it on the circle.

It glowed bright blue and Ed's head jerked up. My eyes widened and I took a step back as a huge expanse of dark purple matter expanaded above the room and a second later armored bodies came falling out, clattering hard against the floor in a huge heap of scrap metal.

"What... the..." I could do nothing but stare.

"Whats going on here?" Ed whispered standing. "I... I didn't do anything!"

I turned at the sound of voices and footsteps coming twoards us.

_"Hide human..." _Truth commanded and for some reason I did, ducking behind the coloum.

"What the... What happened here!" I peered out from my hiding spot to see the General, followed by the professor and several armed soldiers come into the room, and stare at the armored bodies in shock.

"Don't move" a few soldiers surrounded Ed and he froze glaring around at them. I was glad he didn't do something stupid like attack them... he was alot less impulsive now and days than I gave him credit for.

"How could this have happened?" Haushoffer murmured in shock. "We've never been able to open the portal twice before no matter how many times we tried, but here they've all come back to us... from Shamballa."

"What do you mean?" Ed asked, cautiously.

The General stalked over, raised a fist and punched Ed in the face sending him to his knees "We'll ask the questions here! Are you that boy from before?... No... he only looked a bit like you... he was different..."

My eyes narrowed and my hand went to the hilt of one of my knives.

_"Not yet" _Truth cautioned.

_"Why the Hell not!" _I thought back.

_"Your presesnce will be recognized by the General, you may not get as much information. Edward will be fine." _Truth said steadily. This was the first time Truth was actually helping me since he'd been in my head.

"What are you talking about?" Ed growled, his eyes narrowed. "What boy who looked like me." I knew that he knew exactly who they were talking about but he was more daring them to talk more about Envy in front of him.

_"Well in his human form he kind of does Ed..." _I thought with a sigh.

"Check them out! See if they're ok!" Haushoffer ordered. The soldiers searched the armor only to flinch back in horror and disgust.

"He's been crushed!"

"This ones dead too sir."

"Is this your doing boy?" the General demanded angrily.

Ed remained silent, glaring at him.

"Just who are you" Haushoffer asked him much more calmly than the general.

"Are you Haushoffer?" Ed asked, his eyes narrowed.

"I am." the man nodded after a pause.

"I've heard that name from my father" Ed muttered. "My name is Edward Elric. My fathers name was Hoenhiem."

Haushoffers eyes widened "What?"

Then a woman's voice broke through the echoing room "In the vast expanses of the hollow earth lies a kingdom far greater than any civilatzation the surface has ever known. It is a vast utopia without any war or illness, suffering or hate. The wisdom of it's inhabitants promises an absolute peace. While the mystical power of it's great armies garuntees victories in man kinds final great war."

Really? Do you believe in the easter bunny too lady?

The woman who entered had short, fluffy blonde hair and blue eyes, the classic and preferred Aryan look of the German people, and a calm but cocky smile was drawn over her face. She had an air of authority about her. I almost instantly disliked her. It felt to me like Dante all over again. It was just the aura that lingered around her. Superior, arrogant, at ease because she assumed everything would go her way. I hated it.

"The road to Shamballa is difficult" she continued looking to Haushoffer. "It seems your hypothisis was correct professor."

"A lucky guess." Haushoffer said simply.

Really? That was the only acknowledgement you were giving you're dead pawns?

The woman turned to look at Edward "Hello Edward Elric. You're father was working for our society, and still helps today."

"I don't know where he was or what he told you lady." Ed growled.

"My name is Delinda Eckheart thank you." she said firmly.

The General suddenly raised his gun and pointed it at Ed.

"Wait! Hess!" Haushoffer admonished. So that was the General's name.

"This plan for Germany is in motion. What if this boy tells our secrets to Berlin?" General Hess growled.

"Ok, I'm not waiting anymore" I muttered, siezing my knife and throwing it at the General. I hit the gun, slicing his hand a bit, causing him to drop his weapon and his in pain. I darted forward as he reached again for the gun and raised it to point at me but I scooped up my knife and held the blade against his neck.

"You pull that trigger General" I growled my eyes narrowed. "I fall back and this blade slices your neck."

"You again!" Hess snarled. "This is the girl we were telling you about chairman." he glanced at Eckhart.

"Ah yes." she smiled a friendly smile that I found not at all friendly. "I hear you move well in a fight for a normal German girl miss...?" she raised an eyebrow in question.

"Liz Parker." I growled. "Nice to meet you."

"From that symbol on the hilt of your knife there I am guessing you are no stranger to Shamballa yourself" she said, glancing at the knife I held to the General's throat.

I paused before I grinned "I know nothing about it... at least not the world _you _were describing."

She frowned "What do you mean?"

"Oh just the whole Utopia without war, pain, suffering, or hate and the wisdom promising absolute peace just didn't match up to the place where I come from." I shrugged. "Maybe you should re check your history."

"Yeah, Thule island, Shamballa" Ed shook his head. "It seems you people are obsessed with any world but this one."

"Yes we have that in common" Eckheart smiled at him before turning back to me. "But you are not a child of Hoenhiem are you?"

"Just a friend of the family" I smirked.

"Of course" she nodded.

In this distracting conversation, one of the soldiers had snuck around and I felt him grab me from behind pressing his gun to my head "Don't move girl."

I snarled and struggled as the General backed away rubbing his neck before pointing the gun twoards Ed again. Ed was quick, raising his fake hand in front of the gun before rolling back and diving sideways into the pile of metal suits. I heard scattered clanking as Ed moved through the pile.

"He can't hide in there for ever" Eckheart murmured. "General, lower your gun. Do not shoot him. We may need him."

"...yes chairman." he lowered the gun reluctantly

Then the suits went flying everywhere and in the middle of the room I saw a suit of armor crushing Ed in a hug "Brother!" a familier voice laughed. "Oh brother I'm so glad to see you! It's been so long, are you ok!"

"Al..." I whispered feeling a smile spread over my face.

"I can't breath!" Ed gasped.

"Sorry" Al set him down on his feet. "But you've changed! You're taller now."

"Al..." Ed stared for a minute before wacking off his head with his hand in anger "WHAT YOU THOUGHT I'D STILL BE A BEAN WHEN I'M 18 YEARS OLD!" I couldn't help but snigger at Ed's classic, old fashion, comical reaction.

"The suits empty!" Haushoffer gasped.

"What you've never seen a soul attached to a suit of armor before? You don't get around much." I muttered under my breath.

"But how is that possible." Eckheart demanded.

"Don't you see! It's possesed by a demon!" the General yelled. "FIRE!"

"Al? Demon? What twisted universe do you come from." I blinked.

But no one was paying any attention to me and the soldiers began fireing at the two brothers who ducked behind the other suits of armor.

"You haven't changed brother" I heard Al say through the bullets. "Still causing trouble!"

"Save the lecture. We need to get out." I saw him point at me. "Get Liz over there ok?"

"Right."

There was a wild cry as Al charged, Ed hanging behind him on his back. The armor ran forward and snatched me from my captor, knocking him over in the process and slinging me under his arm, before continuing to run.

"Which way do I go!" Al asked.

"Anywhere!"

"I don't know where I'm going!"

"It's better than getting shot!"

"WHEE!"

"Stop being a freak Liz!"

"Bite me!"

* * *

Several minutes later we were sitting on the banks of a small river that ran by the brightly lit German town, Al in between Ed and I.

"I've dreamed of this place" Al murmured. "It's pretty... are we really in the gate?"

"The other side of it" Ed corrected. "But forget that... I want to hear about your life Al. How'd you get back into that armor again?"

"Again?" Al cocked his head to the side. "Oh... right. You attached my soul to armor just like this didn't you? When my body was lost in the gate" he sighed and I got a bad taste in my mouth. "I'm sorry brother... I can't remember any of that."

"What?" Ed and I asked in unison.

"The last time I saw you was when we transmuted mom. Then I woke up and a girl named Rose was taking me home." Al murmured.

"So that means..." I breathed. "Al..."

Al turnedand looked at me "You're Liz aren't you? I've heard alot about you. You helped us every step of the way on our journey after brother became a state alchemist isn't that right?... I'm really sorry that I can't remember you..."

I managed a sad, small smile, trying to hide the sinking feeling I felt in my gut "Don't worry about it Al...I'm just glad you're alive." Ed met my eyes for a moment across Al, a sad look in his gold irises. He could see how much it hurt to know that Al couldn't even remember meeting me. This was the first time in his mind that he'd ever seen me before. Had he really lost all of those memories. All the times we spent looking for the philosiphers stone? Did he really forget everyone in the military, Hughes and Mustang? Armstrong? Did he forget the homunculi and Scar and all of our enemies too?

"I wondered how they opened that portal?" Al was musing. "Will they do it again-" all the sudden Al cut off and the armor began shaking.

"Al?" Ed asked worriedly. "Are you ok?"

"Brother" Al shuddered. "The transmutation I used to attach my soul to this armor doesn't last very long. It looks like I've run out of time."

"But wait Al! This is too soon!" Ed stood.

"Don't leave now." I begged. "Al..."

"It's ok..." he whispered. "I think I know how to bring you back now. That portal they used... I'll try to open it from my side too..." then thr light faded from his eyes and became empty black holes again before the armor pitched forward and collapsed.

"Al!" Ed cried but he was gone.

After several seconds passed by in silence I drew in a long breath to keep myself from crying and stood up. With a sigh I offered a hand to Ed "It's late" I managed a smile. "We should go back home before they stumble across us."

"Yeah" he murmured after a pause, taking my hand and pulling himself up. "Liz... I'm sorry..."

"Don't be" I shook my head. "It's not your fault."

I just realized in that moment how much I truly missed our old world.

* * *

_**Hope you enjoyed this long chapter!**_

**_Al: And yea! I had screen time!_**

**_Liz: Isn't that technically chapter time?_**

**_Ed: Oh well... lots of good angst too..._**

**_Envy: And I'm the next chapter!_**

**_Probably at least._**

**_Wrath: REVIEW TO MAKE UP FOR MY LACK OF SCREEN TIME!_**


	12. Chapter 11: Stolen Dreams

**__****Ok so this is my last update before I go to camp tommorow. I'll be back next saturday!**

**_Liz: Unless she dies of course._**

**_Envy: Which is completely likely knowing her._**

**_Ed: Yep... she's a psycho._**

**_(Looks up from playing with knives) I am not!_**

**_All three: (stare)...Right..._**

**_Al: REVIEW!_**

_**Third person!**_

"We're sorry Chairman" General Hess apologized. "But they've both escaped. We know where to find them though. They've been living with Alphonse Hiedrich."

"Is that so?" Eckhart rose from where she knelt inspecting the soldiers.

"And another stroke of luck" the General continued. "It appears the Gypsy girl has also been staying with them. We recieved a tip from one of our loyal contacts and we knew that the girl helped her escape at the carnival, as one of my men recognized her in our first encounter."

"This is a bit of good fortune" a smile crept over the chairman's face. "After all, it seems passage through the gate without the great serpant is impossible... I have a feeling that they might know something about it as well. Everything seems to be intertwined here. I also suspect we might need their knowledge of this strange magic to help get us through." she turned to face the General. "Find the gypsy, make her the deal. Our time draws close."

"You're actually planning on going through with this?" Haushoffer asked in disbelief. "There is no evidence to confirm it is Shamballa on the other side of that portal! What the girl said might be true about it being some where different!"

"November 8th is only ten days away" the General argued. "The fuer will make his move with or without the Thule society. Our role in the party hinges on this!"

"Relax General" Eckhart smiled. "The God's of the Aryan race are clearly lighting a path for us. The Thule society led the nation og Germany into a new and enlightened age. That is exactly what the future generations will say."

The General saluted and left.

"Um... Chairman" Haushoffer stepped forward. "One other thing. The other day when we met that girl there was another boy. I'll admit seeing Edward here tonight threw me off because they looked very simaler. This boy bore even more resemlence to Hoenhiem... but this boy looked older than Edward... not younger like Hoenhiem has said. He told us he only has two sons isn't that correct?"

"That is what he said" Eckhart frowned. "I'm sure it is a minor detail... carry on professor."

"Yes chairman."

* * *

"Ok so we know they're trying to open the gate" Ed said leaning against the wall across from where I sat at my desk. "They're trying to get into our world but for what purpose? What do they hope to gain from this so called 'perfect utopia'?"

"Nothing good" I muttered. "That Eckhart lady mentioned something about it gaurenteeing a victory in man kinds final war... do you... you don't think they want to pull our world into their own war do you Ed?"

"...If it is we can't let them open the gate... not at that cost." he said finally after a pause.

I sighed, my shoulders slumping "Right... guess not..." I wanted to go home more than anything... but Ed was right, we couldn't let them try and attack our world.

"Hey it'll be fine" Ed managed a smile. "Besides, it looks like they can't properly open it without this great serpant thing... whatever that is... I still can't figure it out."

I bit my lip before replying "Ed... I think I know what the great serpant is."

"Really?" his eye brows raised. "You have a theory."

"Or an absolute answer I smiled bitterly. "Ed... did Envy happen to mention to you his four forms."

"He told me three of them." he muttered. "His human form, his homunculus form and me. The fourth one he didn't... mention..." he trailed off before looking at me "What are you saying Liz? Do you know his fourth form."

"It's a giant serpant" I sighed. "Or dragon or something along those lines. He was stuck in it for a year before he could figure out how to shift again." my fists clenched in my lap. "Did you notice the transmutation circle, how the shape in the middle kind of looked like a star?"

"Yeah..." Ed nodded slowly.

"I think..." I closed my eyes before continuing. "That they're trying to make a life sized oroborus... think about it. A snake eating it's tail around that star. The gate always opened when a homunculus was born, it would open to take one back again."

There was a long pause before Ed sighed "It makes sense... they probably don't understand why it does but they're on the right track." he smiled at me. "Don't worry Liz, they're not going to find Envy... they wouldn't expect a shape shifter anyhow. He's been fooling people into thinking he's human for centuries."

I stared at him. That was somewhat out of character, comforting me about Envy. Maybe Ed really did know that I cared about the homunculus even if he was his blood enemy. Maybe Ed was just a good friend.

"Yeah..." I sighed and rested my chin in my hands, staring at the floor "I wish we could go back... without causing all this trouble." a bitter smile played across my face. "But I guess... that isn't equivalency is it?"

_'You are learning little human' _Truth grinned.

_'Yippee... can you leave my head now as a reward?'_

_'__No but you can have a gold star.'_

_'Oh fan- fricken-tastic'_

_**Third person again!**_

It was late at night as Noah entered the house again. Half of her didn't want to betray the people that had helped her... but half of her wanted so desperately to go to this other world... a place where she would be accepted, where everything was perfect.

She wanted away from the dicrimination, so she had agreed to the deal set out by the General.

All she had to do was search Liz and Edward's minds tonight. Figure out how their alchemy worked and see if she could find anything pertaining to "The great serpant" before reporting back. It would be simple.

How could they really be angry if she found the key to get them home again? She was doing this for them too... but at what cost was it? She wasn't sure, the Thule society wasn't telling her much of their plan.

Still she just wanted a place to belong, so she crept into Edward's room first, hesitating briefly before she sat down on the bed side where he lay, peaceful, no sadness in his dreaming state. Then she leaned over him and touched her forehead to his, letting herself be pulled into a whirlwind of memories and dreams.

* * *

_**Back to first person!**_

My dreams that night were strange, more like a flurry of flashbacks. They weren't nightmares, but they still made me feel uneasy for some un known reason.

The first memory was that of my death back in our old world... ok it's understandable how _that _one made me feel uneasy, but watching it from above actually made it not as bad as expierencing it. I saw Envy and Ed fight before it was revealed that Envy was the Elric's brother, then saw myself running and pushing Ed out of the way just before Envy stabbed me. God there was alot of blood. Ed was in shock, Envy was in shock and I oddly enough seemed the calmest one.

The dream faded to Ed and Envy fighting, Envy catching hold of Ed's neck and pushing him down to the ground, choking him.

"Stop." I tried to yell but by throat wasn't working right, I was only able to watch.

_"Give me one reason not to kill you little brother_" Envy hissed.

_"Liz_" Ed choked.

It was wierd, I didn't remember seeing this happen... how can I dream a memory that hasn't happened? Huh...

Then the other me burst through the crowd. There was silence as Envy jumped off of Ed adn stared at the other me. I saw my eyes widen in realizationa as I whispered "_Envy?"_

Ed tried to attack Envy again, the other me stopped him before collapsing to the ground.

The dream faded to the memory of that night, the transmutation circle, the portal opening up. I heard Envy's words playing through my head.

_'I have four forms. My preferred one, my old human form, a clone of the Fullmetal pipsqueak and the fourth... well it's like a giant serpant...or a dragon...'_

What if they did find him? Though how could they really. Only Ed and I knew.

_Wake up._

Why?

_Wake up little human!_

I jolted into awareness my eyes flying open. I sat up and groaned inwardly _"What Truth!"_

_"You should know better than anyone the danger of dreams" _he muttered.

_"What's that supposed to mean" _I yawned glancing twoards the door. I saw a shadow moving down the hall and I slipped out of bed and peeked my head out to see Noah moving to go to her room. "Noah? What are you doing up so late?"

She jumped and turned around before relaxing "Nothing Liz... just having trouble sleeping, that's all."

"Oh... ok." I nodded and closed the door. I stood uncertainly in the center of the room for a minute before murmuring "Why do I get this feeling something bad is going to happen soon?"

_"Because it's your life of course" _Truth sighed, a bit of dark humor in his voice.

"Yeah... guess so..."

* * *

_**Third person again!**_

"I know who the great serpant is" Noah spoke quietly to the General.

"Really?" his eyes widened. "How... where is it?"

"The problem is..." she continued. "He isn't just a serpant... he is a shape shifter from the other side of the gate, but he is here."

"A shape... shifter" Haushoffer looked dumbstruck. "Here?"

"He has lost most of his forms through traveling through the gate except for four of them" Noah explained. "One of which is that of a great serpant. Liz and Edward know him. The difference is Edward hates him, Liz is close to him." she bit her lip. "And he is Edward's older half brother."

"Brother... another child of Hoenhiem" Haushoffer murmured. "You don't think... that boy we saw that day with the girl...?

"Just to think he was right there." General Hess said thoughtfully. "So how do we plan on catching him?"

"I think that its too risky" Haushoffer said immediately. "We don't know what an inhuman thing like that might do... we need to work out a deal of sorts."

"He would never." Noah murmured. "There's not much you can really offer him that he would deal with. Apparently he hates most humans."

"Most?" General Hess raised an eyebrow.

"Well..." Noah bit her lip before continuing. "Not Liz... he... from what I can tell, cares about her."

"In that case I have a plan that will bring the great serpant to us." Haushoffer announced. "Catch the girl, leave a note with Edward. He knows this shifter, it is likely he will find him. We have little time to search for him even if we wanted to. This is the best plan."

"Wait" Noah protested. "You won't hurt Liz... will you?"

The General smiled warmly "If she cooperates there will be no need."

"That's my point, she won't." Noah persisted.

"Dead bate is no good to us" Haushoffer shrugged. "If the creature agrees to our terms she will be set free."

"Then it's settled" the General said enthusiastically. "We run the plan by Eckhart and put it into action. We have three days."

Noah drew in a long shaky breath _'I'm sorry. I'm sorry Liz.'_

_**Liz: What? A plan for me to get kidnapped? In what universe!**_

**_Envy: Oh yes what a shock._**

**_This is the part of the movie where I started hating Noah... besides the fact she's a marysue and is devoid of one of those pesky personalities besides being tragic... seriously, try watching the movie and see if she ever smiles. The occasion is very rare._**

**_Ed: REVIEW!_**


	13. Chapter 12: Reluctant Alliance

_**I'M BACK FROM CAMP! I SURVIVED WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY FOR A WEEK!**_

**_Envy: She nearly died and is currently on life support but she technically survived._**

**_It's true!_**

**_Liz: REVIEW!_**

You remember how I complained about how nothing out of the ordinary happening made the last two years dull and out of the ordinary for me? No near death expierences, no landing constantly on my bad shoulder, no secret underling plots involving me and especially no being kidnapped?

Who'd of thought that all four of those streaks could be broken in one night?

How you might ask?

Oh just you wait.

I was on one of those recently, usually harmless, evening walks, trying to get back to Gracia's place before it got too dark outside so that she wouldn't think I was hurt and Ed wouldn't think I had gotten myself killed.

Ed always assumes the worst.

And he is usually right.

...Woo hoo...

As I walked quickly down the shortcut alleyway that recently is turning out to never be a short cut I heard the sound of quick footsteps running up from behind and the sound of a person yelling in anticipation reached my ears. I moved my head to the side and let the fist soar past my cheek, coming so close I could feel the air rush past my skin, before I grabbed my assailent's wrist and used the momentum to flip him over my shoulder and pin him to the ground, twisting his arm behind his back.

"Yeah, just a note." I commented dryly with a smirk. "It usually doesn't help to yell when you're about to attack someone. It kind of alerts them of your presense... just for future reference. You'll never get anywhere in the mugging/ kidnapping/ jack ass buisness with that method."

Yep that's me, your neighborhood criminal advice consultant!

What is wrong with me?

Don't answer that.

"Freeze." I heard a gun click behind me and I glanced twoards my new attacker.

"May I help you?" I asked dangerously.

"You're going to have to come with us now." the man said, joined from the shadows by five others. "We don't want any trouble."

"Yes." I beamed. "That's why you're pointing guns at me and sending multiple people to attack me from behind in the middle of a dark alleyway. It's just because you don't want any trouble. How stupid do you think I am?"

"Quiet." the man snapped. "Step away from the man on the ground and come quietly."

I stared at him "Are you mentally disabled? Who sent you and told you that I would ever come quietly?"

The man pressed his lips together in a tight line before nodding to the other surrounding goons. Goon one charged me, lunging to grab me but I released my captive and ducked low to the ground causing goon one to trip over me and fall straight onto his comrade.

"Well that was pathetic." I blinked.

The guy who seemed to be in charge growled and yelled "Don't just stand there! Get her!"

Two other goons charged me. I cartwheeled out of the way of the first one's kick and ducked under the second's punch before crouching and launching myself into the air. My foot contacted with goons face sending him to the ground. I rolled forward, jumped to my feet and jammed my elbows back into the gut of the second goon before turning to face the awaiting men again with a smirk.

"Next."

I felt a hand close suddenly around my ankle and jerk me off my feet causing me to land... _ON MY FREAKING BAD SHOULDER! DAMNIT!_

"Bastard! How dare you cause me to land on my bad shoulder." I kicked my free foot back into the face of the man who had caused me to fall and jumped back to my feet. "God why does that always happen to me!"

This distraction however had given the two remaining goons and the guy who seemed to be leading them time to sneak up behind me. Two sets of hands siezed each of my arms and pushed me down onto my knees while another hand siezed a painful handful of my hair and yanked my head back so I was looking up. I felt a gun barrel press up under my chin forcing my head up even more.

"Now you're going to come with us." the man with the gun at my chin told me smugly.

"Like Hell!" I tried to struggle. "Who the Hell sent you!"

"Who did you think?" an annoyingly familier voice of a certain General reached my ears.

"Well if it isn't General Bastard of the Perfect Utopia Jackasses! And I was just thinking about how much I would love to punch your face in and cut that ego of yours down to size" I growled hostilely as the General came into view.

"It's not very becoming of a young lady to make such empty threats" he smirked, coming to a stop in front of me and taking my chin in his hand. "It seems that even you can't fight up several men at once."

"Nah, but I managed to knock out and or give head wounds too alot of them." I retorted, trying to jerk my head away but his grip on my face only tightened.

"I suppose the fight you put up was decent" he sighed mockingly. "But either way you're beaten."

"Not the way I see it." I snapped though that was exactly the way it looked right now. See after not being kidnapped for over two years I was actually starting to get used to not having to glance behind myself every two seconds and not having to come armed when I walked but these Bastards just had to show up, chuck me on my bad shoulder, kidnap me and threaten me with death making my life normal again...

I mean Golly Gee! Me getting kidnapped? In what universe is this!

"What the Hell do you want" I asked suspiciously.

"Well not only can you provide us valuable insight in to Shamballa and that witch craft alchemy-"

"It's not Shamballa and alchemy is science. You're an idiot."

"-But you are also bait."

"For what? Ed?" I rolled my eyes. "Because if you wanted him you could of just caught him and saved alot of trouble!"

"Not for Elric. For the Great serpant... or I suppose you know him as a shape shifter."

I froze and stared at the General wanting so badly to rip the triumphant look off his face "H-How do you... how did you find out about him? Ed and I were the only ones who knew... HOW THE HELL DID YOU FIND OUT!" I jerked violently at my captors grasps. "TELL ME!"

The General smiled smugly and released my chin, raising his hand to stroke his own. "You know that Gypsy... she really wants to see your world. She wanted to help so that the portal could be opened. She wasn't that hard to persuade actually."

"Noah..." I growled. "Why... after all we did..."

_"I warned you about the dreams little human" _Truth murmured in my head.

That was right... the dreams. That was the only way Noah could've figured out. She knew about Envy. She told them... And now I was the bait to lure him in... Noah had betrayed us. I could never forgive that... Had she read Ed's mind too? Did she find out about their relation? How much else that we had kept secret did she find out. If I ever saw her again I was going to give her the guilt trip of a life time.

I swallowed and let my head hang, staring at the ground. They had me and I could do nothing.

"Deliver the note" the General said. "And we're leaving."

_"Envy... don't you dare come. I'll kill you if you decide to give yourself up for me"_ I thought as I was dragged away.

_I can't lose you too._

_**Third person with Ed:**_

"Edward? Where is Liz?" Gracia asked the blonde boy as he sat deep in thought at the table. Al Hiedrich had stormed off the previous night to work in the factory and Ed hadn't gotten too much sleep afterward.

He looked up "Uh...I haven't seen her come to think of it... It's late..."

"I'm worried... do you think she's alright?" Gracia murmured looking twoards the door.

Ed opened his mouth to reply when a knock came. He hurried to answer it and saw officer Hughes standing in the doorway, a sheet of paper clutched in his hand. His face looked grim which couldn't be a good sign.

"Edward. I found this while I was making my rounds. It's about Liz." he said holding out the piece of paper.

Ed snatched the piece of paper and read the note.

_Edward Elric,_

_Don't worry, your friend is safe with the Thule society for now... but we won't be hospitable for too long,_

_If we can not open the gate by November 8th she will die,_

_We need the great serpent to do this. You know the shifter, find him._

_If we get him we will release your friend._

_-General Hess_

Ed read over the paper several times his eyes wide, his hands clenching the parchment so hard it nearly ripped. The shape shifter? How did they know... how did they know about Envy? Liz wouldn't of told them so how?

"Edward?" Gracia asked worried.

Ed squeezed his eyes shut in frustration "Damnit... I'm going out!" and he hurried past Hughes and out the door.

This was the last thing he wanted to do. He wanted to stay as far away from Envy as possible. But if he was the only way to save Liz... what choice did he really have. If there was any other way he would take it but he couldn't think of anyone else who would help him... or at the very least help Liz.

And that pissed him off too no end.

He hated Envy... Envy hated him... but they both cared about Liz, and just maybe that would be enough.

An hour of searching later a light rain had begun to fall and Ed had no luck finding Envy. Who was he kidding anyway? That homunculus could be anywhere and hardly anyone would be outside in this weather anyway.

"Damnit Envy." He hissed as he walked quickly through the streets ignoring the facts he was starting to get soaked. "You stupid excuse for a brother where the Hell are you! If you don't show up soon I'm going to-"

He was cut off as a foot stuck out and he tripped over it sending him falling hard to the ground.

"Oops, my foot slipped, what were you saying you'd do pipsqueak?"

"Envy!" Ed rolled over, propping himself up on his elbows. Envy was looming over him in his human form, a mocking smirk plastered on his face as usual. Ed's eyes narrowed and he yelled "WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU I'VE BEEN LOOKING EVERYWHERE!"

"Huh?" Envy blinked obviously taken aback by this. "I'm pretty sure you've lost me little brother."

"Stop calling me that!" Ed snapped thrusting the paper crumpled in his hand twoards the homunculus.

"That..." Envy said after a pause. "Is a piece of paper."

"Read the damn note you psychotic bastard!"

"Tch." the homunculus snatched the paper from from Ed's hand, abored expression on his face, and scanned the words with his eyes. His face turned stony and serious, the smirk melting away. "...So they took her?" He asked lowly his eyes never leaving the note.

Ed nodded "She never came back from her walk last night."

"That idiot." Envy growled rubbing a hand over his face. "I _told _her to be careful and she goes and gets herself kidnapped _again_."

"You do realize that all those times she got kidnapped besides that were mostly your fault right?" Ed growled annoyed.

"Course I do... seems it's _still _my fault." he crumpled the piece of paper in his hand. There was no mistaking the deadly edge to his voice. "Shape shifter... great serpant..." His cold gold eyes flicked to meet Ed's for the first time. "And I'm wondering just how they found out about that since clearly the only people who could know were Liz and _you_. We do have an interesting possible scenario here don't we?"

"If you're insinuating that _I _was the one to tell them about what you are you're wrong!" Ed snapped, standing so that he was almost eye level with the older boy. "I didn't tell them anything. I don't know how they figured it out. Why would I do that anyway?"

"Oh gee, I wonder" Envy growled, sarcasm and distrust dripping from his voice. "Give me one good reason why you wouldn't do that. It's a perfect oppurtunity to take me out and get yourself home. Why wouldn't you?"

"I'll give you two reasons why!" Ed snapped, fists clenching. "It's true you're one of the people I hate most, and quite frankly that idea of getting rid of you and going home at the same time would sound nice but there are two things that put a wrench in the situation" he raised one finger. "First off, the reason they need you is to open the gate to our world, making a life size oroborus. They're going to use it to invade Amestris and use it's power to fuel their own war and I'm not going to bring anything like that on my old friends. I'm not that selfish" he held up a second finger. "The second reason is Liz or did you even need to ask!"

"Liz?" Envy asked an eyebrow raised. "And how much do you know about that pipsqueak?"

Ed stopped short. Envy probably didn't know that Liz had told him everything. After a pause he said "I know enough to know that Liz cares about you for... whatever reason that I fail to comprehend. And she's my friend. She's lost too much and I would never volentarily take something else away from her!"

The younger boy had Envy speechless for a moment again, a refreshing sound. The homunculus studied him for several moments before he sighed "Damn... you humans are so cleshe..." his face turned serious again "So do you know where these guys are?"

"Yeah... Liz and I went there the other day to take a look around." Ed nodded.

"Right, you have a habit of sticking your nose into things you really shouldn't." Envy muttered. "Alright pipsqueak. You're going to take me to where ever this place is and we're going to get Liz out got it?"

"You're agreeing to this alot easier than I expected." Ed said warily.

"Normally I would beat the location out of you but in case something _does _happen I need someone to get her out." he said tightly. "And to get one thing straight I hate you. The only reason I'm not choking you to death right now is because of Liz."

"The only reason I haven't killed you yet is because of Liz." Ed retorted evenly.

"Well then since we're both alive I guess Liz is doing her job well." a smirk broke out onto Envy's face and he turned and started down the street. "Come on all ready... if those short legs of yours can catch up."

"I'm not freaking short you bastard!" Ed growled not wanting to follow the older homunculus at all. But if this was for Liz what choice did he really have?

_So the reluctant alliance begins._

_**Oh don't worry there will be plenty of tension to go around.**_

**_Ed: Fantastic._**

**_Envy: Do I get to beat him up?_**

**_Most likely._**

**_Envy: Fine by me._**

**_Liz: REVIEW!_**


	14. Chapter 13: A Different View of Weakness

**__****Next chapter up! Of course we have some stuff with Ed and Envy and also with Liz. **

**_Liz: Sorry for the wait._**

**_Envy: The authoress was being lazy._**

**_It's the curse of summer! I don't have time to be lazy during the school year but now... SO. MUCH. FREETIME!_**

**_Ed: How much sugar has she had exactly?_**

**_Liz: Is that twelve empty Monster cans I've seen behind her._**

**_Al: Oh... wow..._**

**_REVIEW! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!_**

"How nice to see you again Elizabeth."

It was at this simple greeting that I officially decided I hated Eckhart. There were so many things about her that just pissed me off. Maybe it was the smug look. Maybe it was because she called me Elizabeth. Maybe it was because she reminded me of Dante.

...Maybe it was because she was the head of some wierd and insane supernatural organization that was trying to open the gate to my home world so that they could invade it and steal our technology and she had ordered my capture in order to get Envy and complete the transmutation circle with the help of a mind reading gypsy I thought I could trust but ended up being a complete back stabber.

...Yeah I think that's it...

"I can't exactly say the same about you" I growled, jerking uselessly on the handcuffs that held my wrists. Maybe I would have a sudden burst of strength and miraculously be able to break through solid steel!

Maybe I'm just screwed.

"I suppose the General has already informed you of why you're here" she smiled, the smug look never wavering. "We are confident the shape shifter will come. It is likely he will agree to our demands with you here."

"You don't know Envy very well" I growled. "Trust me, when it's dealing with him things might not go exactly according to plan."

"Perhaps." She shrugged. "Tell me. What is his relationship with Hoenhiem of light?"

I clenched my jaw "Why should I tell you?"

"If you're going to be un cooperative we will force you to talk" she frowned slightly. "And I don't want to have to revert to that."

"Try me!" I spat.

"Very well..." I saw Eckhart's gaze flit over to General Hess, standing beside me and before I could react he swung his arm at my face and hit me square in the jaw with a force that sent me to the ground. "Would you like to speak now?"

To my own and everyone elses shock I began to laugh out loud, maniacally, almost making me sound insane "You think that's going to work Eckhart! I'm not afraid of pain. I'm not afraid of you! I've expierinced worse than you can ever do to me!"

"You doubt us?" Eckhart was visably starting to get annoyed. "We can do worse to you. You are young, you think that everything you've expierienced is bad? We could show you much worse pain. We could make your life Hell."

I was still laughing which was seriously starting to freak the sane portion of my brain out. "Hell? I've already been through Hell lady! I've _died _for crying out loud! Have you been stabbed through the gut? It's not a pleasant expierience." I tapped my bound hands to my scar. "What's more I bet you've never been hurled into another world away from everyone you used to know. And I bet your own body doesn't attack you if you exert yourself to much in agonizing siezures. Have you? Huh? You can't do _shit _to me!"

Eckhart stared at me for a very long time "You are a facinating girl... you almost seem to think you're invinsible."

"Hardly!" I spat. "I'm not like you!"

Eckhart's eyes narrowed "Lock her up somewhere for the time being General. Make sure she can't escape."

I smirked as I was dragged away. Sure I was a prisoner but I could tell when I scored a hard blow on a person's ego.

And that at least was a small victory.

* * *

_**Third Person!**_

"Why did you two go snooping around this guys villa in the first place?" Envy asked as the two un willing allies walked down the road.

"When Liz mentioned Dr. Haushoffer I was curious... I heard that name from-" Ed cut off suddenly and clenched his jaw suddenly remebering exactly who he was talking to. "...never mind."

"Hoenhiem?" Envy smirked darkly and sighed. "I can always tell when two are about to mention him. You always cut off akwardly right before mentioning him... What was the context of this guys name?"

"Someone he was working with before he dissapeared." Ed shrugged, not making eye contact with the homunculus. "I don't know details..."

"Hmm..." Envy was silent in thought for a moment before wondering aloud. "I wonder if they know where that bastard is..."

"Don't go there Envy" Ed growled in warning.

"Where do you get off telling me where I should go Elric?" Envy asked, a cool, dangerous note to his voice as his eyes narrowed on the younger boy.

"Where do you get off using my name as an insult?" Ed retorted. "It's your name too you know!"

"...What?"

By the tone of Envy's voice Ed was sure he should probably back track quickly or at the very least, drop the subject but he couldn't. The impules to snap at Envy was almost unbearalble. Both of them had stopped walking and Ed was glaring viciously at Envy, who's back was turned to him.

"You heard me! If you're going to keep calling me _'little brother' _then you better well except that you're his son too and that means that Elric is your last name too!" Ed spat angrily.

"I have no last name... I'm only Envy." the homunculus said in a deadly calm voice.

"Well than _Envy_." Ed growled. "Don't get side tracked by your stupid grudge! This is for Liz. It's all your fault this happened in the first place!"

"For what?" Envy sneered, turning to glare down the alchemist. "Being a homunculus?"

"No! For killing her!"

As soon as the words left his lips Ed knew that he had made a mistake. His hand flew up to cover his mouth immedietly after. Sure he blamed Envy for this whole screw up, but that didn't mean he should voice that opinion. It was a low blow and he knew it.

The silent tension that followed was tantalizing as Envy stared blankly at Ed, for a minute no readable emotion crossing his face. His body was visably tense just as Ed's was. The standoff continued for what seemed like hours to Ed before Envy flew forward with a blinding speed, giving no time to the younger boy to react.

The fist struck Ed's face and sent him flying back into the wall with a yell of pain. A blow to his stomach followed almost immediately after sending him gasping to his knees before he felt a hand wrap around his neck and pinned him to the wall again leaving his feet to dangle off the ground.

"That was a bad move." Edward found himself staring down into Envy's violet eyes, despite him still being in his human form. They were cold, vicious and deadly, almost focusing every ounce of hate onto Ed's wide gold eyes. The grip on his neck tightened and he choked, pulling at Envy's hand desperately with his own.

"...Envy...don't..." he barely managed to choke out the words. He felt his vision starting to become fuzzy and just when he thought Envy was going to kill him viciousness subsided from the violet eyes as if he had just remembered something and the grip on his neck was gone.

Ed fell to his knees coughing and gasping, trying to draw air back into his lungs, rubbing his neck with his hand.

"Know _this little brother_" Envy hissed from above him. "If it wasn't for Liz... I would kill you right here." Ed didn't doubt the tone in his voice.

Coughing the younger boy looked up into Envy's still vicious eyes. "If it wasn't for Liz... you would've killed me two years ago."

Envy blinked for a minute almost conceding the point before he turned and walked away. Ed got up shakily and after a moment he followed.

He didn't really have a choice did he?

* * *

_**Third person with Envy!**_

Envy couldn't believe he hadn't killed the younger boy right then. He should've. He could've... he almost did. So why hadn't he? It was because he had promised Liz. That was all. But why should one lousy promise mean so much to him? Why the Hell should he care about any humans? Why did his feelings betray him?

Emotion... that was a weakness for a homunculus. They had no souls, they shouldn't have emotion. It made them weak.

_"Do you really believe that?"_

Envy almost jumped at a voice in his head. It was achingly familier, he had heard it before... at the gate...

_"Correct. I am Truth" _The voice answered.

There was a long pause before Envy thought _"What do you want?"_

_"To impose questions that help you make sense of these emotions Envy" _Truth answered simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

_"Really?" _Envy thought sarcastically. _"Do you do this alot or is just me who get's cursed with it?"_

_"Hardly" _Truth cackled gleefully. _"Ask that little girl Liz! I've been in her head for two years straight!"_

Envy blinked _"I'm sorry... what?"_

_"You heard me. She get's quite annoyed too."_

_"I can't imagine why"_

_"Aren't we in a bad mood today."_

_"Get to the point already!"_

_"I will ask again" _Truth said calmly. _"Do you really believe that emotions are the cause of weakness?"_

_"Yes." _Envy answered without hesitation. _"It's what makes humans so weak as a whole... that and their kindness..."_

_"Really?" _Truth seemed amused. _"Then you believe Liz is weak?"_

The question pulled Envy up short _"I..."_

_"It's a simple question homunculus."_

Envy was silent for a minute before replying _"No..."_

_"And yet she has a very kind heart... she has lived several years of her life helping two others reach their goals with out consideration for her own because she wanted to right the wrongs of the past. For someone who could have drowned herself in guilt or hate, she chose another path. What about Alphonse Elric?" _Truth asked another question._"Do you believe him weak despite your animosity twoards the Elrics?"_

Envy thought again for a minute _"...maybe not..."_

_"He is possible one of the kindest and more innocent souls for someone who has seen so much" _Truth sighed. _"He's understanding, forgiving, he tries to see everyones good side. He gave himself up to save Liz and his brother you remember? And now he doesn't recall any of those long years spent trying to recover his origional body. The last thing remembers is the human transmutation of his mother. In his mind he's never even met Liz."_

_"What?" _Envy was taken aback by this. _"You mean he..."_

_"But you don't care do you Envy?"_

_"I..." _the homunculus was frustrated by the sudden indecision. He would normally reply no immediately... but he almost owed the tin can for bringing Liz back...

_"And despite your hatred for him" _Truth continued. _"Do you think Edward is weak?"_

Anger bubbled through Envy _"If you seriously expect me to-"_

_"Drop your hatred for one moment homunculus. You can't always look at things from one shallow view point!" _Truth commanded sternly.

Envy was silent for a long time before he said _"He's annoying as Hell... I hate him... but he might not be... that weak..."_

_"He was called the hero of the people because he actually tried to help others" _Truth recited. _"Killing as just as hard for him as it is for Liz. He was even guilty when he killed Greed... did you know that? Despite that homunculus kidnapping his brother. But he always forced himself to be strong for his younger brother."_

_"...Why are you telling me all this..." _Envy asked after a moment.

_"I am trying to let you see that kindness and emotion are not bad things. Your natural impulse is to reject compassion as it is the opposite of Envy... but this game is much bigger than you imagine and you will have to comprehend other emotions one day soon." _Truth said.

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"I have a larger plan at work. What you think is an end drawing twoards you is only the start. The end is not what it seems." _Truth sounded almost giddy.

_"I have no idea what your talking about." _Envy sighed testily starting to get very annoyed with the voice in his head.

_"Just don't look at things one way." _Truth sighed. _"I have to go."_

_"Small graces..." _Envy muttered.

_"Hehe... see you soon."_

Envy sighed and looked back to see Ed still walking behind him, his gaze wary.

_"He really does care about Liz" _Envy mused. _"If he's still coming with me after that."_ he faced forward again and called "Keep up pipsqueak! I don't actually know where this place is you know! You're still supposed to be showing me!"

"...I'm not a pipsqueak" Ed muttered behind him, his voice showing a touch of confusion.

_"Wonder if he's ever had a voice in his head?" _Envy thought randomly.

"Sure you aren't..."

* * *

_**I sense foreshadowing!**_

**_Envy: Which part?_**

**_Liz: This chapter was chalked full of it..._**

**_Ed: And me getting beat up..._**

**_Liz: Hey me too!_**

**_Truth: And me being philisophical._**

**_Ed: Who are you?_**

**_Liz and Envy: Oh god GO AWAY ALREADY!_**

**_Teehee... REVIEW!_**


	15. Chapter 14: His Hidden Motive

_**Warning: Depressing chapter...**_

**_Liz: Oh fabulous._**

**_Envy: Then again, we're used to it._**

**_Ed: No argument there._**

**_MWAHAHAHA! REVIEW!_**

_**Third person:**_

"This is it?" Envy could already see the gigantic house in the distance and sighed. "Why would any human would need this much space is beyond me."

"Dante had a whole city underground and you call _this _big?" Ed muttered.

"Hmm, good point" Envy shrugged with a smirk.

"...Your agreeing with me is freaking me out."

"Don't worry, that was only a rare occasion."

"Right" Ed sighed still eyeing the homunculus warily. Ever since earlier that day he felt like anything he said would make Envy snap. Maybe he was being paranoid but he wouldn't put anything violent past Envy. And he wasn't anxious to be strangled again. It wasn't a pleasant expieriance.

"Are there alot of gaurds around the place?" Envy asked lightly.

"Unfortunately yeah." Ed nodded.

Envy flashed a wide, malicious grin "It's not unfortunate pipsqueak. How else do you think we're going to find Liz?"

Ed swallowed in spite of himself "Look Envy... don't... kill anyone ok?"

"Yeah yeah I know...They can't talk if they're dead you know." Envy rolled his eyes. "And the goal here is to not be seen so the less confrontations the better."

"Right, and we want to get Liz before they know we're here and get out."

"...Right"

Ed couldn't put his finger on it but there was something off about Envy's voice at this word. Like he almost did think this was going to happen. Or like he was hiding something. Ed shrugged the feeling away quickly.

They would get Liz... she would be fine.

* * *

Once they reached the property Envy sighed and closed his eyes "Well I'm getting out of this form." there was a long flashing as Envy morphed into his old form, pale, skinny with long green hair and violet eyes. The only thing that stayed the same was the smirk. "This form is easier to move in."

This was the first time Ed had seen Envy back in his normal form since that day two years ago. He remembered now just how much he really hated the sight of Envy and instead averted his glare at the ground "Right. Let's hurry and get this done."

"Yes, working with you is starting to make me sick" Envy smirked.

"My thoughts exactly." Ed retorted with with a growl.

The window Ed had entered through with Liz the last time they had gone snooping around was luckily still broken. Envy was able to jump easily through the window in a single in human leap while Ed had to clamber up a little more ungracefully. He lost his footing on the stone and his foot slipped, causing him to start careening back to the ground. A hand grasped his wrist and kept him from falling before jerking him the rest of the way from the window and sending him sprawling on the hard wood floor of the hall.

"Graceful pipsqueak" Envy commented with a smirk.

"We can't all be super human" Ed snapped in annoyance, bringing himself to his feet. "Now what."

"Hey! Who are you?" Ed turned to see two gaurds who had just come around the corner.

"Now..." Envy grinned broadly. "I have fun."

Before the gaurds could react Envy had lunged at them, knocking the first out in one swift blow to the head. He turned on his heels in an instant and knocked the second gaurd's gun out of his hand before siezing his arm and twisting it painfully behind him. The gaurd was slammed up against the wall and Envy drew a dagger from the man's belt and pressed it against his neck hissing in a deadly calm voice "_If you scream, I will slit your throat_."

Ed stared wide eyed. The homunculus had moved... really quickly. He couldn't think of anyone else who could match that speed... except maybe his teacher.

The man Envy had shoved against the wall was wide eyed with fear, sweat running down his brow.

"Do you happen to know" Envy was asking in a deadly voice leaned down next to the man's ear. "Where a girl named Liz is being kept? A quick answer would be nice."

"N-No..." the man replied, his eyes never leaving the knife blade that hovered inches from his neck.

"You wouldn't happen to be lying to me would you?" Envy flipped the knife so that the man could see the hilt "I'm not stupid. This is one of her knives. Unless you can describe that little pattern there on the hilt."

Ed drew in a sharp breath and looked at the hilt as well. Sure enough, the transmutation circle was engraved on the hilt

"I...uh..." the man stuttered helplessly.

"I'm going to ask you again" Envy hissed. "Where is she?" at the man's silence he let a demonic smile creep onto his features. "If you don't tell me I'll have to force you too talk. I can make your death _very _painful. Starting with shredding that lying tongue of yours" he tapped the blade of the knife on the corner of the man's mouth. "So that you can't scream when I start taking all of your fingers one at a time. What do you say? Hmm?"

"Alright!" the man finally sobbed. "Just don't kill me! Take a left at the end of the hall and then take the third turn on your left. She's the fifth door down!"

"There, that wasn't so hard was it." Envy smirked before he hit the man over the head with the hilt of the knife and let him drop to the ground. He drew the second knife from the unconcious man's belt and held them out to Ed, his face calm like had nothing had just happened "She's going to want these back. You hold onto them."

Ed cautiously took them, still staring wide eyed "Would you have actually... done any of that?"

Envy raised an eyebrow "Scared Fullmetal?" Ed glared at him indignatly and he sighed. "No Probably not. Wouldn't want to get that cowards blood on Liz's knives. Come on."

Ed had a funny feeling that two or three years ago Envy would've done everything he had just threatened.

And watching that he _had _been a little bit afraid.

He followed Envy down the hall twoards the place where Liz was being held. The homunculus suddenly stopped walking and spoke "Hey, pipsqueak... after we get Liz... you know the way out don't you?"

"...Why are you asking Envy?" Ed asked warily.

"So I know you'll be able to get her back by yourself." the homunculus replied simply.

"But why would that-" Ed stopped in mid sentence, realization dawning on him. "You're... not planning on leaving... are you?"

"These people know where Hoenhiem is... I'm going to find out..." Envy murmured.

"Why does that matter!" Ed demanded. "And what if they don't know! There are alot of them Envy. You won't be able to beat your way through to get to Hoenhiem! You're not invinsible! If you stay they're going to end up... using... you... for... the... circle..." Ed trailed off as he saw the homunculus looking back at him, his face almost unreadable though a slight smirk was drawn over his face.

"Have you figured it out yet little brother?"

"You're going to... let yourself be..." Ed swallowed before growling "Idiot! Why?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Was this... was this your plan all along? This was the only reason you actually let me come along isn't it!"

"Yeah." Envy started walking forward again but Ed caught his wrist in his fake hand just to ensure he had a good hold.

"Wait... Envy..."

"What?" Envy asked a note of impatience in his voice.

"I can't..." Ed clenched his jaw in frustration, closing his eyes. "I can't let you do that..."

"Why?" Envy asked seeming genuinely suprised.

"Because you idiot!" Ed exclaimed. "I already told you why! You can't just leave. Liz-"

"Has you."

Ed stared wide eyed at the homunculus un able to retort.

Envy sighed "You two are best friends... you care about eachother don't you?"

"Not like that!" Ed protested. "She's like a sister to me sure but..." he drew in a shaky breath "...She told me... everything... about why you..."

"I figured she had..." Once again Ed was left without words as the homunculus continued. "It's the only reason why you came to me to get help. You're reckless, and you would've tried to get her out yourself but you knew I would help. You had to have known."

"But... about Hoenhiem..." Ed muttered staring at the ground. "Look, revenge... it isn't-"

"It's not normal revenge little brother... don't rate it on that level. It's a grudge I've carried for over four hundred years. It is in my nature to carry this grudge and I can't let it drop so easily. You'll never know what it's like to carry a grudge for that long. At this point the only thing I need is it to be gone even at the cost of my own life..." a bitter smile spread over Envy's face. "The only way the grudge will disapear is if Hoenhiem dies. It's the only way."

"But-"

"And if the gate opens then Liz can go back home." Envy cut him off. "I know it's been killing her being stuck here... and regardless of whose fault she thinks it is that she ended up here she needs to get back before she snaps."

"What about them trying to invade our world!" Ed demanded. "If they take over-"

"Somehow I think that you guys will be able to handle that." Envy smirked his familier smirk.

"Envy listen..."

"No, you listen" Envy said staring hard into Ed's gold eyes with his violet ones. "I'm going to do what I feel like and you should know that. I'm telling you because you're going to have to keep Liz from following me and get her out."

"But-"

"Promise me Edward."

Ed stared. It was the first time his actual first name had exited the homunculus's mouth. He didn't want to promise the homunculus anything. But Envy would do what he wanted regardless and he couldn't let Liz get caught up in the cross fire. So what choice did he really have?

"Damn it Envy" he growled. "She's going to hate me for this."

"Is that a yes?"

_'I'm sorry Liz...'_

"...Yes."

* * *

_**Yeah, this ended up being completely in third person.**_

**_Ed: Sigh..._**

**_Envy: Luckily it's Liz's turn to angst next time!_**

**_Liz: Screw both of you._**

**_Al: REVIEW!_**


	16. Chapter 15: Helpless

**__****Ok, sorry it's been a bit... Firstly: Just a heads up, I'm going on vacation Tuesday and I'm not sure if my Grandmother has internet which will make updating hard. I'll try to update one more time before I leave but no promises.**

**_Secondly: I have a new, serious, war kind of themed story out for FMA so feel free to check it out if you haven't already._**

**_Thirdly: I'm opening up kind of a "talk box" thing as I like to call it. Basically any questions you have about characters, the story, my thoughts on FMA and my fanfiction series and yes, even questions about what will happen in the third book (Though I won't garuntee they will be answered), just drop them in with your review. I'll be collecting these questions and in the prolouge of the third book, I'll answer them all. Consider it behind the scenes access. I'll try to be as through as possible so yeah, you can ask basically anything as long as it's not something personal..._**

**_Envy: Well that was a long authors note._**

**_Ed: Yep, now back to angst._**

**_Liz: Yipee! REVIEW!_**

At first when I heard the footsteps coming twoards my little "prison" I thought _'Oh crap, Envy came, they caught him and now they're getting me!' _as I usually tend to jump to the worst conclusion first. Then I heard the gaurd yell out before someone dropped like a thud and I realized that this probably wasn't the case after all. There was a jingling of keys before the door unlocked and I was met by a familier face.

"Ed!" I broke out into a grin.

He grinned too and hugged me in greeting "Hey there shrimp."

"Not a shrimp" I muttered half heartidly. "How'd you find where I was in the middle of this freaking mansion?"

"Because Envy was violently persuasive when we first ran into a gaurd." Ed sighed.

"Envy?" my eyes widened.

"What? You thought the Fullmetal pipsqueak could get you all by himself kid?" I turned and saw Envy leaning against the door frame, a familier smirk playing across his face. I couldn't deny I was glad to see him, but a sudden realization occured to me.

"So... wait..." I said slowly, my eyes wide as I raised one finger and pointed it from Ed to Envy, my gaze flitting between the two of them. "You two... both came and to get me... as in you... worked together... as in that's actually possible?"

"More or less" Ed muttered grudgingly.

I blinked "I'm... going back to sleep... this is clearly a dream. The uh... _real _Envy and Ed hate eachother and would never possible work together... either that or the apocolypse is coming, which I'd rather be unconcious for anyway."

Envy rolled his eyes "Don't worry, it was with great difficulty."

"Well, still!" I muttered, rubbing a hand over my face. "It's kind of... wierd... now we need to get out of here before Eckhart and the cult following shows up."

That was when I started to realize something was up. Envy's face kind of went into a stony, emotionless mode and guilt flashed across Ed's face as he swallowed. Now Envy was always hard to read... but Ed, I knew so well, I could practically interpret whole inner monolouges from his expressions. Something was definetly really wrong... the concept of two worst enemies working together aside.

"...Right" Envy finally said. "You and pipsqueak should get out now, kid."

Something else I immediately realized was wrong: Ed didn't react to the insult of his hieght.

"Ok, spill it, what's going on?" I growled suspicously, looking in between Ed and Envy, my eyes narrowed.

"Envy... isn't coming with us... Liz" Ed murmured and my eyes widened as I tried to process this.

"What... what do you mean?"

"I'm going to go have a visit with this ah "cult following" as you call it" a kind of sad smirk passed over Envy's face. "Get back here by November 8th and you'll be able to go home."

It clicked in my head "No... No Envy stop-" I made to run twoards him, maybe slap some sense into him, but I felt strong arms wrap around me and hold me back. I turned my head to the side to see Ed behind me, guilt etched on every inch of his face.

"I'm sorry Liz..." he whispered closing his eyes.

"You agreed to this?" I asked, a slight edge creeping into my voice.

"I tried... Believe me Liz... I did try..." he swallowed hard and I heard the sincerity in his voice. I believed him...

"Why!" I whipped my head back around to glare at Envy, feeling my vision start to blur. "Why are you doing this? It isn't worth it! They'll invade our world! What if we can't stop them? And you... you can't just leave Envy! You can't, Please!"

"They know where Hoenhiem is." he murmured, his gaze distant. "I know how you feel about revenge kid... but this grudge has been around for four hundred years... I need to kill him, that's the only way I can get rid of this hate... it's tiring to hold onto it." His gaze met mine again "And before you ask, no I can't just let it go. It's not that easy and it's not exactly in my nature, being without a soul and all."

"I can't lose you too!" I protested, tears of anger and helplessness coming to my eyes.

"You're getting back all your old friends... it's a small sacrifice really" Envy shrugged lightly.

"Some sacrifices _shouldn't _be made!" I yelled, jerking against Ed's hold.

"Funny" Envy sighed, looking as if he was remembering something ironic. "I thought the same thing when you jumped in front of Edward two years ago." This got me to stop struggling as I stared, unsure how to respond. Envy smiled "Don't worry about me ok?"

I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes muttering "Sorry about this Ed" I jammed my foot down ontop of his flesh one and elbowed him away, managing to slip out of his grasp. Before Envy could react I was across the room, wrapping my arms around him. "Please... Envy don't leave... I don't need to go back."

He was stiff for a minute with shock before I heard him sigh and felt arms wrap around me in return "Yes you do kid... more than you know." I was shocked to fell him shaking slightly. "I'm sorry Liz... really I am..." his lips were right by my ear as he whispered. "The end isn't always what you think it is... just remember that..." he detached himself from me and violet eyes stared down into my dark ones for a moment. "Goodbye... Liz..."

"No!" I tried to follow him but Ed held me back.

"You can't stop him Liz..." Ed murmured. "You know very well that Envy will do whatever he wants... you'll just get yourself into trouble. Please Liz..."

I could no longer hold back the tears that pressed at my eyes and a sob escaped my clenched teeth. Shaking, I slumped to the ground, crying on my hands and knees "Damnit! Envy you... _idiot_! How can you just... I _hate _you!"

"No you don't" Ed sighed, kneeling down beside me and rubbing a hand on my back. "I'm sorry Liz... I'm really sorry."

I swallowed and in an out of character move for me, my head fell against Ed's chest and I sobbed against him. He froze for a minute at my gesture before he wrapped his arms gently around me "Shh... it's ok Liz..."

"Don't you dare leave too." I growled through my tears.

"I'm not going" he soothed gently. "I'm here Liz... I've got you... shh... it's ok..."

I would never have done this in any other situation. I was always a tough one. Winry always accused me of hiding my emotions and storing up all my problems. A year or two ago, I would never have turn to Ed for comfort. But I needed _someone_. Anyone...

Just when I thought... things would be ok...

* * *

_**Third person**_

"There's been a break in?" Eckhart stared at the General in dibelief. "You don't think... they completely avoided us do you?"

Hess stared at his boots "It's possible."

"Damn... that means the whole plan failed!" Eckhart cursed.

The door to the large room was suddenly slammed open and an unconcious gaurd was sent flying through and into one of the stone coloums. Everyone whirled twoards the new presence as a low, threatening voice sneered "Not quite, lucky you."

Eckhart watched as the figure came into view. He had long, spiked green hair and pale skin and resembled that of a teenager. His hard violet eyes glared around at the people as they stared, no one knowing exactly what they should say.

"Who are you?" The General finally demanded.

"Ah, I recognize you" the strange boy's eyebrow raised. "You were in that alley. Does this help you at all?" there was a flash as the boy slowly morphed into a young man with shoulder length blonde hair.

The General evidently did recognize this new form as he stumbled back, his eyes wide "The shape shifter!"

Your reasoning skills _amaze _me" the creature sneered, sarcastically shifting back to his origional form before his eyes turned on Eckhart. She was facinated by the fact he seemed to be completely ignoring all of the soldiers with guns, who still seemed unsure of whether they should shoot or not. "So you're Eckhart, right?"

"That is correct." she nodded, keeping her face unfazed. "And you are Envy."

A smirk appeared over the creatures face "Yeah, I am. Just so that you know, Liz is gone. I already took care of that."

"Then why are you here now?" Eckhart's eyebrow raised.

"I've got another deal to offer you." Envy replied cooly. "But first I'd like to know... how'd you find out about me being a shape shifter?"

Feeling like she should drive some emotional wedges she replied with a smirk "Why that girl Liz of course."

There was a pause before Envy laughed maniacally, placing a hand over his face and shaking his head "Nice try." he smirked maliciously and kept his violet eyes locked with the chairman's blue ones "How stupid do you think I am?"

Eckhart frowned "By extent you could say it was Liz... the information was taken from her mind at least, she just wasn't concious at the time."

"Yeah? Please elaborate." his eyes narrowed threateningly.

Eckhart waved her hand in the direction of the gypsy girl Noah "The gypsy right over there. Scum like that is easy to manipulate. She can see into a person's heart with just a touch. Edward and Elizabeth weren't wise to help her."

Noah's brown eyes widened fearfully at being exposed and she shrank back as the shape shifter's eyes flitted to her "I've seen you with the Fullmetal brat before... figures... that _compassion _of his really did get him into trouble."

Before anyone else could react, Envy flew across the room, with inhuman speed, siezing the girl lightly by the neck and pinning her to the wall. The soldiers pointed their guns but Eckhart held up a hand so that they would hold. The gypsy whimpered and squirmed but the shape shifter's grip just tightened as he pressed her harder against the wall "So... what why don't you tell everybody what you see right now?"

Noah was shaking uncontrollably "A- a man! Blonde hair and a beard... older..." she swallowed. "Your father?"

"Yeah that's right." Envy growled. "What's that man's name?"

"H-Hoenhiem!" she gasped out through her terror.

"Well, well, you can read minds." he smirked widely. "So what do you think the deal I want to offer this little cult is?"

"Y-you want Hoenhiem... d-dead. You want to kill him..." she stuttered. "In exchange for your cooperation." she swallowed. "R-right?"

"Good." Envy gave a short laugh and released the gypsy, who sank to the floor, shaking. He glared coldly down at her "I would kill you, you know... but I do have guns trained on me. Just be glad that you're still alive."

"I-I'm sorry..." she whispered.

"Save your breath." he rolled his eyes and turned back to face Eckhart. "So... you heard the offer...what do you say?"

Eckhart studied the shifter for a very long time. He was more clever than she had given him credit for. Liz had been right. When dealing with this shifter from the other world, he would make things go his own way. She smiled.

"Deal."

* * *

_**Yea angst!**_

**_Liz: And Noah getting scared to death because she deserved it!_**

**_Envy: Yeah, I'm still an evil person...er... homunculus_**

**_Ed: No joke... REVIEW!_**


	17. Chapter 16: Numb

**__****Ok so this is just a last chapter before I leave on vacation. Nothing too big happens and Envy isn't in it... BUT THERE'S ANGST!**

**_Liz: Well isn't _that _a change..._**

**_Ed: I was just thinking about how we weren't getting enough _angst _lately. Lucky us!_**

**_Envy: Yeah, woopdy, flippin doo._**

**_Ed: THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT ANYWAY!_**

**_Envy: No, the authoress made me... I claim complete innocense._**

**_Liz: DIE KALLYPSO!_**

**_Heh, heh... put down the bazuka you short demon...REVIEW while I scram!_**

It's funny, all the time I had been stuck in this world, all I ever wanted was to go home. And now, when the opportunity was being opened... I didn't want to go at all. Well I did want to be back in Amestris with Al and Winry... but not at the cost of losing Envy. I would take all his annoying jests and that annoying smirk that never left his face. I would take all of that and be grateful... I just didn't want him gone.

I wondered vaugley if this was how Envy felt when I died... he thought I was dead for almost two years... did this wear away after awhile? I wasn't sure. Why did I always end up wanting what I couldn't have? I couldn't get home when I wanted too... and I couldn't keep Envy alive when I wanted too... This wasn't equivalency... it was just down right torture... You'd think after enough tragedies you'd get used to dissapointment and anger and sadness.

Nope. It's still the same every time.

First my parents, then my brother. Then followed my revenge spree, killing those five men. Next the death of Nina Tucker, the death of that man I accidently stabbed. Right after that came Hughes' death, right in front of my eyes, then later followed Scar, Lust... and almost Ed. Now Envy... Great. Fan bloody tastic.

The question still remained as to why I cared so much about Envy in the first place. When had I first started caring anyway? Was it when he kissed me the first time? Maybe it was when I heard the story about what had happened with that other girl. I couldn't think of a set place... it was as if my emotional time line was blurred all together. But he had killed Hughes... he tried to kill Ed... so why did I care? He was annoying, cold, apathetic, sometimes cruel...

And... I loved him...

Wacky emotions like love didn't seem to be bound by laws of explanation. It just was. To an alchemist that was kind of annoying. Scientists always want to find an explanation behind everything... but love was a different story.

Lying on my bed in Gracia's inn, I dangled my state pocket watch over my head, letting it swing on it's chain, letting the light catch the metal surface. It looked like I was trying to hypnotize myself... maybe I was. Maybe I was trying to get my mind off that _stupid, stupid _homunculus.

I heard the door open down stairs and Ed's voice say "Oh hi Noah... you're back late."

Noah...

My fists clenched. I had forgotten to tell Ed about that traitor of a gypsy who was staying under the same roof as us. Slowly a slid off the bed and walked from the room and down the hall. My feet moved on there own, and I let them take me where they wished. I reached the foot of the stairs and saw Ed talking to Noah, who was looking considerably pale, like she had been scared to death recently.

Good.

"Oh, Liz." Noah's eyes met mine and a traitorous smile drew over face. "You're ok."

I didn't answer her. Instead I walked forward expressionlessly in silence. Then before anyone could stop me, I raised my hand and back handed the gypsy across the face sending her sprawling with a cry.

"Liz!" Ed stared at me in shock. "W-what-"

"How do you think they found out Edward" I muttered tonelessly. "About Envy? We were the only two who knew about him. Now wouldn't it be conveniant if they got their hands on a mind reading Gypsy?" I glared down at Noah. "She sold us out... so I got kidnapped to lure him in. This is all her fault."

Ed whirled to stare at the gypsy, whose hand was pressed over her cheek "Is that true?"

"...Yes" she murmured after a pause.

"Why!" Ed snapped. "After all we did... we saved your ass and you get into our minds!"

"I want to see your world!" Noah cried. "I want to leave this place and never come back! It's the only place I can belong! A place without war or hate!"

"There's no such thing" I hissed. "As a perfect world... There will always be hate, distrust, discrimination, jealousy... you can't go anywhere to escape that. Our world is flawed as heck, messed up beyond redemption."

"Then why do you want to go back there!" Noah demanded, her voice rising a few octaves.

"It's my home" I muttered. "But even so I would be willing to remain here... if only..." I gritted my teeth and turned my back to Ed and Noah. "But guess I can't do anything about it now huh? Good work Noah." then I stalked up the stairs.

"Get out." I heard Ed mutter. "You're not welcome here Noah."

I was sitting on my bed again, staring at my hands, when I heard the door creak open.

"Liz... can I come in?" Ed asked cautiously.

"If you want" I answered dully.

There was a pause before Ed sat down beside me, causing the bed to creak slightly.

"Liz... I'm sorry for everything... for what Noah did and for what Envy decided... and for my agreeing with him. I really am... I can't say anything that will make things easier I know but" he sighed. "But Envy is going to open that gate. You can't save him... but if you go there on Novemeber eighth, we can go home. We have to make something out of this. Sit here, holed up in this room and it will all be for nothing." He rested a hand on my shoulder, gently. "Don't blame yourself Liz... Envy made his choice. It had nothing to do with you... It was his own decision, nobody elses. You did the same thing once."

I turned and stared at him "The same... thing."

"Jumping in front of me" he smiled. "Fine... maybe it was your fault for getting us all here... it's time to go back."

I swallowed and took a deep shaky breath "I... I know..." I forced a smile onto my face. "You're right, it is time to go back... Tommorow is November eighth... We'll go then."

Ed sighed a sad smile on his face "You can't pretend to be tough around me anymore Liz..."

"Ugh..." I banged my head against his shoulder, remembering my sort of awkward outburst earlier. "Guess not."

Ed wrapped his arm around my shoulders "Liz... I promise I'll stay with you... you know you're like a little sister I never had."

"Even though I'm older than you?" my eyebrow raised.

"You know... the hieght throws me off."

"Screw you."

He was right, I had to make something out of this...

But damn it, that didn't make it hurt any less.

I could only hope that I would become too numb to feel a thing.

* * *

_**So yeah... short, angsty, depressing. All that good stuff.**_

**_Envy: About four chapters left if your wondering._**

**_Ed: Also a reminder about the talk box thing. Drop any questions you have in with your reviews!_**

**_Liz: I FOUND YOU KALLYPSO!_**

**_AUGH!_**

**_Envy: Where did she get a bazuka anyway?_**

**_Ed: I'm... not quite sure_**

**_Al: REVIEW!_**


	18. Chapter 17: Home

**__****Ok so I'm back from vacation and updating!**

**_Liz: Sorry she took so long, she lacked inspiration._**

**_Ed: Not too much happens in this chapter but next chapter will be action packed!_**

**_Envy: Sigh... I'm out of the rest of this book._**

**_It is a pity... Remember everyone to drop me any questions you have about this series in the reviews box!_**

**_Al: REVIEW!_**

"There are even more gaurds then usual" I muttered. "God I hate this place... I see Eckhart and the first thing I'm going to do is push that bitch off the nearest cliff."

"I'll let you do that" Ed sighed, smirking slightly. "Ok, here's the plan. I'm going to go see what happened with the whole gate thing... and if Envy and Hoenhiem are still alive. You sneak onto one of the rockets and hide from the inside."

"But I-" I protested, wanting to go with Ed.

"I know that you want to but..." he sighed. "If it is too late... I don't want you to be there. I'll do everything I can."

"But-"

"I don't want to see you cry again Liz" Ed murmured, smiling sadly. "Not like that... never again. And I hate Envy for making you cry like that... among other things."

I stared at the ground and swallowed. He was right. I didn't want to be there if it was too late. It would just kill me even more. But still I had a biting urge to see what had happened... I think I was in denial that Envy might possibly be... gone.

He couldn't be gone.

"Please Liz..." Ed pleaded.

I swallowed and nodded "You're right... I can't... do anything to stop Envy anymore. And I don't want to see it." '_Besides' _I added to myself. _'If I don't see it then I don't have to believe it... I can't believe it.'_

_"It's un avoidable. Denial is like a blunt blade. Useless." _Truth said.

_"Not true. You can still beat people to death with a blunt blade" _I retorted childishly.

_"That may be..." _Truth sighed. _"I need to work a little bit on my metaphors..."_

_"You work on that fortune cookie" _I rolled my eyes before turning to Ed. "Ok, I'll break in and find Alphonse and get into one of the rockets. If he doesn't help me I'll beat him into submission... You take a plane and bust through the top of that big room with the transmutation circle."

"Great plan, except where the Hell am I going to get a plane?" Ed asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You steal that one over there of course" I stated bluntly, pointing at the small, two seater plane near the wall of the mansion with only one lone guy leaning against it lazily, smoking a cigarette. "He probably has lung problems, it should be easy."

"Fine you crazy klepto." Ed muttered standing. "Good luck."

"Ed wait" I caught his hand before he could run off. He stared at me waiting and I glared viciously at him "Don't you _dare _die. You are going the same place I am got it? If you die I will bring you back to life and kill the homunculus that spawns from you! Got it!"

He smiled at me "Ah Liz... you're so incredibly evil for someone so short."

"Who are you calling-"

"Quiet, you'll alert the gaurds." Ed rolled his eyes and stepped forward, pulling me into a hug. "I'm not going to die. We're going home together Liz. I won't leave you." he pulled away and held me at arms length. "Ok?"

"Ok" I grinned. "See you in a bit... goldielocks." And I broke off into a run before Ed could pulverise me.

Maybe he was taller than me... but the goldielocks nickname would _never _get old.

* * *

Al didn't see me hiding in the hall right outside the testing room before I grabbed him and pulled him into an empty room, shutting the door behind me.

"Liz!" he gasped, panting. "You scared me! How does someone little have sudden bursts of strength? And what are you doing here?"

"I'm going to kindly disregard that first question" I glared. "As to your second question I'm here because the god complex conspiracy society-"

"You mean the Thule society?"

"Same thing... They're opening a gate to Ed and I's world and those dumb rockets of yours are taking an invasion force through! _That's _why." I growled. "Did you seriously not know what there plan was even _after _Ed warned you?"

"...Are you seriously telling me that world is real?" he blinked.

"Yes!" I exclaimed. "If you didn't resemble someone I consider like a younger brother then I would hit you! Your adorable counter part has saved your life!" Al blinked and I sighed in exasperation "Look, the rockets are made and so is the gate, the harm is done. I need you to tell me where one of the rockets are so I can stowaway."

"...Where's Ed..." Al asked after a pause.

"Stealing a plane" I stated bluntly and at Al's suprised look I quickly added. "But that's not important. It's all part of the plan. I need you to help me out here Al... please. We'll never bother you again after this."

"...I don't have much time left to bothered anyway." he murmured.

I stared and bit my lip "That cough of yours... it's not just a cold is it?"

"No..."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be" Al smiled. "I'll help you Liz... I owe you that much."

* * *

"No one has borded yet" Al told me as we crouched by the side of the gigantic rocket. "You have time to sneak inside and find a hiding place... then just... wait I suppose."

"Right" I nodded. For a moment we were silent before I decided to make an offer "Al... if you want you can come with us... sure it'll be a little confusing but we have alchemic doctors who might be able to fix you and-"

"No" Al waved the idea away. "I belong here Liz, in my world... this is my home. I'd rather spend the remaining days of my life here than a life time over there." he laughed slightly. "Let's face it, your world is strange."

"Amen." I sighed.

Al coughed violently before pulling his hand away, showing red, sticky blood on his palm.

"Al?" I asked conserned.

"I'm fine Liz" he smiled. "You go on."

"Ok... I have two more favors." I told him. "One, make sure Ed gets through... like your life depends on it... and second, destroy this side of the gate after we're gone, so that no one can ever get through again. It's not a good idea to mix our worlds."

"Ok" Al nodded. "I promise."

I smiled and held out my hand "By Alphonse."

He took the hand and shook it "Yeah... good luck Liz."

"I have no luck" I shrugged rolling my eyes and climbing aboard.

_"There's no such thing as luck" _Truth murmured. _"Only coencidence and skill."_

_"You're improving" _I muttered.

_"I thought so too."_

It was a long while before I felt the rocket rumble from my hiding place... It was taking off... On the plus side, we were going home... on the negative side...

"Wait... how am I going to get past those hand things without any armor!" I squeaked.

And for once Truth gave me some helpfull advice _"Let your mind go blank. Think about nothing. Nothing you want or wish to gain... that way there can be nothing taken from you, if there is nothing that you want."_

_"You're being uncharacteristically helpful."_

_"Hurry up little human"_

I did as I was told, closing my eyes and letting my mind go blank. I heard screaming, I heard a slithering sound throughout the rocket but I thought of nothing. I didn't dare open my eyes to see what was going on.

A little known fact: Thinking about nothing is boring as hell and makes the minutes drag... especially when your life depends on it. There was a very long silence before I heard Truth's voice say _"You're through little human."_

I opened my eyes and crawled from my hiding place. Cautiously I glanced around for gaurds but found none, then I walked slowly to the window. There was the underground city... I hadn't seen that place for two years. I never thought I would be so glad to see the result of millions of people dying for a philosiphers stone in my life. But I was now. Below I saw the small figures of three people. THe first was a tall blonde I instantly recognized as Winry and the second was the familier, mousy Sheska... and the third was no doubt Alphonse... He was wearing Ed's old red coat too. What memories that brought back.

And in spite of everything I had to smile.

I was home.

* * *

_**Yep, her life sucks but at least she didn't spontaneously combust on the way through the gate.**_

**_Liz: Oh yeah, small graces._**

**_Envy: To answer a question I'm sure everyone has: Yes, I will be in the third book. We swear. Seriously, Kallypso is obsessed with me, do you really think that she'd permenately kill me off?_**

**_I'm not obsessed!_**

**_Ed: Right... REVIEW!_**


	19. Chapter 18: True Monsters

**__****Ok, lot's of actiony stuff and angst in this chapter. All the good stuff.**

**_Envy: this is actually the second to last chapter... the last chapter is the epilouge._**

**_And also, as I said in Double Edged Blades, I am going to camp for two weeks and though it has internet I will be very busy so I might not be able to update that often... That's why I'm updating now before I leave tommorow._**

**_Liz: REVIEW!_**

It didn't take long before the scene through the window shifted from beautiful relief to horror and terror. Armored soldiers were in the city, alot of Central looked like it had been decimated by an earthquake, and the ship I was on was shooting down on the city.

I had never been in a war. I had only ever heard of the Ishbalan civil war. I never saw any of it for myself. The fights I had been in were against small groups or just a few other people. But here, I couldn't move my eyes fast enough over the destruction to take it all in.

The oddest part was, the ship I was in seemed to be using alchemy to fire. How could a human use alchemy? Could simply studying about it gift you with the ability to use it? Was it Eckhart? Was she on this ship?

My fists clenched at the thought.

I wasn't sure how long I waited in the ship just watching but it seemed like hours. Below in Central command I caught a glimpse of Armstrong (His sparkles can be seen from space!) and then the bright orange flames of a familiar flame colonel. Several moments later I felt a jolt as the ship was hit by something. Looking over to my right I saw a coloum of stone had slammed into the ship and three figures were running up it.

Ed, Al and Mustang.

Grinning I ran to where they were headed, narrowly avoiding a few armored gaurds. There was a hole in the side of the rocket that I appeared through.

"Liz" Mustang realized, his eyes widening slightly. "You're back too."

"Yes sir, Colonel Flame" I grinned, saluting. "Or I guess you were a Brigadere General the last time I saw you."

"Nice to meet you in person Liz" Al smiled and I was suddenly reminded that he had no memory.

"Yeah..." I forced a smile. "We'll have to talk later." I turned to Ed. "Glad you made it."

"Hey I promised didn't I?" Ed grinned.

"I'll gaurd the entrance Fullmetal" Mustang told Ed. "That's what I came for. Go on inside."

"Right" all three of us nodded in unison and hurried into the ship.

"I always knew you two were alive" I heard Mustang murmur behind us and I smiled.

_"Yeah... we don't die quite so easily."_

"Ok, Al" Ed said as we came to a stop for a minute. "Take control of as many armored bodies as you can and get to the cockpit... that's where Liz and I are going."

"Right brother." and Al took off in the opposite direction.

As Ed and I hurried twoards the cockpit I worked up the guts to ask "Ed... what happened..."

He didn't turn to look at me as he sighed. "I'm... I'm sorry Liz...but... well I guess you may have deduced by the gate being open that... both Envy and Hoenhiem were transmuted to create the portal."

I swallowed and nodded. I had expected this... I had known it would happen. But that didn't stop my chest from feeling like it was being crushed by a lead weight. "Let's... let's just focus on stopping Eckhart."

"...Yeah..." Ed murmured.

We ran the rest of the way in silence. I decided to take Truth's advice from earlier and let my mind go blank... not thinking of anything. Not wanting to face any form of dream or reality. Just staying in empty subconcious.

_"You'll need to have a clear head when you go up against Eckhart" _Truth told me. _"Not a blank one."_

_"That's an oxymoron." _I shot back.

_"If you try and keep your mind blank the thoughts your forcing out will still press at your conciousness. You'll be focused on keeping the thoughts out and not at the task at hand. That's dangerous little human" _Truth lectured.

I wished that he was flesh and blood so I could punch him.

_"Fantastic" _I growled. _"Now stop pressing at my conciousness you annoying bastard."_

We came to a stop just outside the open cockpit door. I could see the top of Eckhart's hair just over the seat in the center.

"This world is strange... nothing like I'd imagined." she murmured.

"Do you think that has anything to do with the fact that you're blowing shit up?" I asked iceily stepping into the room. Ed closed the door behind us.

"You're wrong Eckhart..." Ed growled. "People here are just like you, live the same, die the same."

I noticed Eckhart twist slightly in her seat and I moved subconciously in front of Ed. Then with a feral yell she darted from behind her seat and sent a giant black tentical twoards us. It knocked me hard into the opposite wall sending me to my knees. A sharp pain pierced my abdomen and I was forced to stay on the ground. I looked up to see the twisted looking Eckhart had her black tentacle wrapped around Ed's arm.

"Liz" Ed called, worried.

I waved my hand dismissivly "I'm... fine..."

Ed turned back to glare at Eckhart "There's one thing I want to know. Why did you start this attack! I thought the point was to use the wepons of this world to conquer your own! So why would you wage war here!"

"I have to."

"But why?"

"Because I fear it!" Eckhart yelled. "Opening a portal to a new world was exciting at first! A utopia that could make us greater! But then I realized how different it was from our own! I got scared. This world is far to strong to be trusted! I have to destroy it now before it conquers us!"

"That's rediculous!" Ed snapped. "We have no reason to conquer your world!"

"How can you be sure?"

"Because we're humans like you!"

"Liar!" Eckhart screeched. "How can you call yourself humans. That shape shifter! That thing wasn't human! Inside you're different! You're monsters!"

"Wrong." I murmured standing on my feet. "Thanks for the hit... it really cleared my head." I stepped forward, staring calmly at Eckhart. "We're not human? That's what you think?"

"When I look at you I see animals! That's why I can take your life!" Eckhart smirked.

"Animals." I repeated, cocking my head to the side, laughing softly. "Eckhart... your sad you know that? You should look at yourself... see what you've become. When I first came to your world I found it bizarre seeing the faces of all the people I knew but they didn't know me. I thought it was strange. But I've lived with the people over there and they are the same." I sighed. "But you're not. Inside we're monsters... ha, that's a laugh. You're the real monster inside. Killing because you're just afraid. But now the outside reflects the inside doesn't it. You should see yourself right now, you really should."

"You remind me of someone, this lady called Dante was afraid of death... she was afraid of what was on the other side, what would happen... so she stole bodies from others, implanting her soul into their bodies, over and over again. But her soul got weaker and weaker and eventually she'll die." I looked at Eckhart. "In the process she's created wars for her cause, created homunculi to find philosiphers stones made out of human lives. Homunculi were what we considered monsters. Envy was one of those." I swallowed. "But Dante, the one who looked normal, was the real monster the whole time. And she can't run away from death forever... and you can't run away from your fears, by killing us. There will always be someone else you blame for what happens... but eventually it will all come back to you."

"No YOU'RE the monster!" Eckhart released Ed's arm and hurled the tentacle at me. I drew my knives with lightning speed and smacked them together, expanding a shield between us. It was good to know I hadn't lost my touch.

"You're spreading despair, you're killing, you're uprooting lives to create your damn perfect race." I growled walking forward. "And you call me the monster? You're the same as Dante. And you know something? I _hate _that woman more you know."

Eckhart snarled and moved twoards the door,"We're out of time." she opened it to reveal the armored soldiers, the ones I knew Al had taken control of. "You are a decietful monster. Nothing more. That is why I can and will take your life. It's human nature. We can't accept what we don't understand. We fear it, reject it and that is the beggining of war." she smirked wide, thinking that she had one.

"That's only how the narrow minded ones like you think" Ed growled. "Some of us are a little more imaginative."

"Kill them!" Eckhart ordered, waving her hand.

The soldiers didn't move and a smirk broke out onto my face "You're pons just broke... annoying isn't it... I recall Dante having to deal with the same thing."

The armors turned and moved twoards the woman "What?" she flinched back against the wall.

"Alchemy gives us all sorts of abilities." Al said, entering the room. "This is one of mine."

"Don't touch me!" Eckhart yelled. "Get away!"

"Go to Hell" I murmured. "And never come out." I left the room, walking slowly back to where I knew Mustang was.

_"A clear head" _I mused. _"It's kind of nice... too bad it won't last for long."_

_"A simple state of mind naver does" _Truth sighed.

"Liz" Ed murmured coming up by my side. "Are you alright?"

"That's a stupid question Edward Elric" I sighed. "Of course I'm not alright... It's just, for once in my life, I'm good at hiding it."

Back on the deck Mustang was the one to ask "So what now?"

"...I have to take what's left of the soldiers back to their world... and destroy the gate on that side." Ed murmured, clapping his hands together and bending down twoards the platform. "This will get you guys down."

"Wait! Brother no!" Al cried.

I grabbed Ed's shoulder before he could set his hands on the platform and jerked him to his feet "Don't. You. Dare. Touch. That. Platform."

"Liz" he sighed. "You don't have to come... I know you want to be here."

"You promised you wouldn't leave" I told him, eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare. You don't need to go. That would be a crappy ending to this... even more crappy than it already is. Don't leave. Not you too."

"Someone has to destroy the gate." He murmured.

"I told Alphonse Hiedrich" I growled. "He will destroy the gate. We wouldn't be able to use alchemy over there anyway! It's just as efficent." At Ed's widened eyes I sighed. "I don't care what you want to do Edward. But I'm going to get something I want and if that requires knocking you out, tieing you up and _dragging _you back down there then I will do it and you know it. Don't try to test me either."

There was a pause before Ed started to laugh, placing a hand over his face "Wow... you do know how to make an argument Liz... I'll give you that."

I blinked "This means your staying right?"

"Well" he grinned. "I did promise, didn't I?"

I grinned in return "Damn right you did."

"I will handle the destruction of the gate on this side." Mustang told us. "In the mean time... I guess you three have some catching up to do."

"Yeah" I laughed once. "Just a bit."

* * *

_**Just the epilouge now!**_

**_Envy: And then book two will be over._**

**_Liz: Good... it was depressing..._**

**_Ed: REVIEW!_**


	20. Epilogue

_**Ok so I've got a spare moment as I'm staying up past curfew ;) They want us to go to bed at eleven... and with the different time zones that's like me going to bed at ten... and that's not happening...**_

**_But before I get to the Epilouge I'm going to rant for a minute about the camp!_**

**_Envy:...Uh... how long is this going to go on._**

**_AS LONG AS I LIKE IT PALMTREE!_**

**_Envy: I'm going to set the gate on you._**

**_Truth: Why would I attack the authoress? She gave me a role in this story!_**

**_Liz:...WHAT THE CRAP ARE YOU DOING HERE DAMNIT!_**

**_Truth: I'm all powerful... I don't need another reason._**

**_Envy: Ugh..._**

**_Ed: Whose that?_**

**_Liz: A mix between a fortune cookie and a slightly psychoticm God I think..._**

**_Truth: I am the universe or the world or one or-_**

**_Stop! That's copyrighted from the other series!_**

**_Truth: Damn... I really like that speech too..._**

**_Anyhoo, Camp is alot of fun! It is a land where you are wierd if you haven't watched animes, a land where fantasy makes sense, a land with anime watching parties, and a land with Crab Collosi and FLYING GOATS!_**

**_Envy:... what?_**

**_Inside joke... we also have lucky ducks and stage whispering cults_**

**_Liz:...huh?_**

**_THE PANTS ARE DEAD!_**

**_Ed: What the Hell is she talking about?_**

**_Shared Worlds! It's the most awesome fantasy writing camp where you devise your own world with a group for two weeks and it has to make sense! By the way, we have shape shifters... my idea, it got accepted as one of our cultures._**

**_Envy:...wow... you're obsessed._**

**_Mostly with you._**

**_Envy: Don't touch me and I'm fine with that._**

**_We also have gaurd chickens... and parasitic wasps... and magic as a limited resource... man I'm full of inside jokes..._**

**_Liz: Enough of that confusion..._**

**_Al: To the epilouge!_**

The Rockbells house was the same as always, filled to the brim with tools and the feeling of nostalgia. This place had come to be my stationary home when I traveled with Ed and Al. I was always welcome, always taken care of. I guess the Rockbells were kind of a distant family to me.

But I must have been a terrible house guest, sitting locked in my room.

The happiness had died down now and wieght had settled in. It _had _been great seeing the Colonel's crew, Hawkeye, Armstrong and especially Winry and Al again. We had talked for a bit, caught up, and it had been fun.

But like I knew it would, the simple state of mind had vanished and was replaced by a depressing haze. I had felt like this once... sort of lifeless, not wanting to do anything. That was after my revenge spree. This wouldn't last for several years I knew... but it would last for awhile.

Questions cycled through my mind. Was Envy right about his grudge? That it was different then normal revenge. That it was an un avoidable wieght only lifted by Hoenhiem's death? Was that what happened when a grudge lingered that long?

Another question pressed also at my mind: What was I going to do now?

There was no more philosiphers stone to search for, no more journey, no more purpose. So what did I want to do now?

Become a state alchemist again... Mustang had offered to restore our titles and positions, as we had only been labled as missing and not dead. It seemed the best way to fill my life with inspections and busy work. Ed must have been feeling the same way because he wanted to become a state alchemist again as well.

I hadn't expected this, admitidly. He always said he only joined the military for the resources. But I guess times had changed and all he really knew was alchemy. We were at the age where we actually needed a job now.

"Damn" I murmured, staring at the silver pocketwatch dangling on it's chain between my fingers. "Is this really the end of it all? This unhappy stuff? I never believed in happily ever after bullshit but was a little brightness hard to ask for?

_"You're home" _Truth pointed out.

"So?" I muttered childlishly. "You know this story does have a suckish ending."

_"Don't do this to yourself."_

"I'm not doing anything!" I snapped. "It's you in your stupid games, the nonshalant attitude twoards everything, hanging out in my head! If you hadn't thrown me past the stupid gate this wouldn't of happened damnit!"

_"You are the one who sacrificed herself."_

I was silent for a long moment, seething, my fists clenched before I managed to growl "Why are you still... in my head?"

_"Don't start this again."_

"Get out."

_"Listen to me little human."_

"Now."

_"The ending isn't what you think it is!" _Truth said in a rush. _"It's never what it seems. Remember that!"_

That was what Envy had said right before he had left. Was that a sick joke. I didn't find it at _all _amusing.

"I said. Get. The Hell. OUT!" without thinking I chucked my watch at the mirror as hard as I possible could. It hit the reflective surface, shattering it into a thousand tiny shard. But I didn't care. I just didn't care. "JUST GO AWAY!"

And the funny thing was... he listened.

The other funny thing?

It still didn't help.

* * *

_**And that was the depressing ending to book 2!**_

**_Liz: Kind of like that depressing ending to book 1!_**

**_Ed: You must be depressed._**

**_Nope! Happy as can be!_**

**_Ok so as far as Reviews go: Review the epilouge and the over all second book as the first part._**

**_The second part is the talk box set up. Ask me any insider questions about the series, any at all (And you can ask more than one). I will be answering all questions at the prolouge of the next book someway or another._**

**_Liz: Thanks for staying with us again!_**

**_Ed: Stay tooned for book 3!_**

**_Envy: Send in questions._**

**_Al: And REVIEW!_**


End file.
